If I Die Young
by bookreader911
Summary: They never thought he would live after they killed him. They never thought ghosts were real, but Harry has never let that stop him from haunting them. Please Review! Warning: Abused!Harry Beware of unhappy ending.
1. Chapter 1

Author's note: Just a little something that popped into my head, enjoy. Everything belongs to JK not me. Yes, the name comes from the song "If I Die Young" by The Band Perry, no I do not own it either.

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Chapter 1

Harry Potter was an ungrateful freak and nothing more, or so he was told. But why would his uncle lie to him? It was true. Normal people couldn't make things float, and normal people couldn't heal as fast as he could; normal people had parents who weren't supposed drunks. Harry potter wasn't normal that was for sure.

Harry Potter lived in the cupboard under the stairs at number 4 Privet Drive, Surey. A place where normal people lived and freaks weren't aloud. Harry didn't think of himself as a freak. Uncle Vernon and Dudley were more freakish than him. They had "big bones" and Harry had small bones like normal people.

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Harry was once again locked in the cramped cupboard under the stairs for something he couldn't explain. All he knew was one minute his teacher was yelling at him for not sitting still in class when her wig turned bright blue. That shouldn't even be possible yet here he was waiting for Uncle Vernon to come home and "stamp out his freakishness." One would think that by how hard and how much they hit him it would already be gone.

A door slamming shut and a furious "BOY!" were his only warning and his cupboard door slammed open. Harry pushed himself to the very back of the cupboard to avoid the meaty hand of his Uncle. When Uncle Vernon finally managed to pull him out Harry had tears running down his pale cheeks and his legs shook with fear.

"Why are you crying Boy? If you're gonna cry I'll give you something to cry about," he said, his words slurred from drinking alcohol.

Harry Potter was never seen alive again.

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Oh my gosh, I got so stuck writing this chapter but the others will be longer. **Warning: ghosts.** ocument here...


	2. Chapter 2 Death day

Author's note: I don't own anything. **Warning this chapter contains death.** I know I said this would be a humor but that's latter on. Right now it's gory, but in latter chapters I have a few ideas that will be amusing.

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Chapter 2

Now, Number Four Privet Drive couldn't be called normal by anyone's standards. Those that knew the Dursley's noticed that something suspicious was happening inside the once perfect home. Petunia had developed a twitch, and her son was had not only lost weight but her husband had as well. No one knew what happened to that criminal Harry Potter, but when anyone asked Vernon Dursley about the boy he would turn a dark purple and the vein on his forehead would pulse.

The people in the house weren't the only things changing. The once prized garden and yard was now wilted and brown from lack of care. Neighbors sometimes saw weird people with all sorts of electronics march through the front door only to come back out looking ruffled and disturbed. On a few occasions Priests were brought in only to reappear with a rosary clasped between two shaking hands. Something strange was going on in that house but if one was to guess they would find themselves miles off.

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A small boy huddled in the small cupboard under the stairs deep in thought. He was no longer alive yet what was the meaning of death if one still existed. Harry Potter was never a normal boy. No, not by a long shot, but this was just plain abnormal. He was such a freak that he couldn't even die properly.

He remembered the night a few weeks prior. He remembered wanting to die when his uncle cut him up in the basement. His uncle had never been this rough with him before. Usually it was just his fists not a carving knife. He remembered screaming in pain and the smell of drink on his uncle's breath as he laughed sadistically. The pain had been horrible, and he knew he wouldn't live through the night unless his uncle stopped, and soon. He needed medical attention fast. The blood was oozing out of him at an alarming speed and black spots had started to form across his vision.

His shirt had been ripped off of him so his uncle could use his belt, and now Harry shook from the cold, fear, and lack of blood that was quickly killing him. He no longer screamed; he sat in a tight ball against the wall trying to protect himself from the increasing amount of blows. At some point he must have lost consciousness because he came to lying on his back, with his uncle standing near him, a large heavy looking axe in his hands.

Harry had tried to move but found that with each movement white hot pain seared through his body. He watched with panic as his uncle raised the axe above his head, directly over Harry's small neck and brought it down hard. Harry Potter's world had ended with a flash of silver.

One would think he should have wings and a halo by now. He thought the same thing, or he would have been sent to the place for bad people like his Uncle Vernon had always said he'd end up in. No, he felt an odd floating feeling and then it was as if he was watching everything that was happening as someone else. He couldn't make sense of what was happening as his uncle stumbled out of the basement and closed the door. He watched as his own body turn cold and bled out completely. His decapitated head lulled to the side with glassy eyes that were half lidded staring at something only they could see.

It felt like forever that he floated and watched his dead body stiffen and pale, but it was probably only a day when his uncle slowly opened the door and gazed down at his still body. Realization flashed through his eyes at the retched sight before him. He closed the door again only to return latter with a large grocery bag. Opening the bags he pulled out paper towels, disinfectant, and a box of trash bags.

Harry watched disgusted, as his uncle dumped his body in a black trash bag and put it aside in the room. Harry could say that this was the first time he had seen his uncle ever clean anything by himself. He watched as his uncle wiped the floor of most of the blood except for a large stain on the stone floor that refused to be removed.

Grumbling with annoyance Vernon stood on two beefy legs and threw all the cleaning supplies into another bag. Hefting both bags up with meaty hands, he walked out of the basement with the still floating Harry not far behind. He floated through the back door leading to the back yard towards the trash cans. Uncle Vernon tossed the bag of cleaning stuff into the closest bin and marched to the small shed nearby. Harry watched in shock as his uncle grabbed a shovel and proceeded to bury his small body behind the shed.

With each shovel full of dirt that was placed over his body the tighter his chest became. He was lost, angry, and scared. He had just died for peats sake. He was watching his awful uncle cover his lifeless body with soil. It was all too much for a six year old to handle, and he took off running to the only place he knew comfort: the cupboard under the stairs.

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Yay chapter 2 done! I can't update as soon though because i'm starting my freshman year of high school! Scarey.

It's hard for me to focus on just one story so i'm writing two others at the same time... Hope you like it, because when I was typing this i deleated half of it and started over.


	3. Chapter 3 Undead and a Wobbly Head

Author's note: I have had a ton of views but I would love it if more people reviewed and gave me advice for this story. Once again I still don't own anything and never will.

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Chapter 3

Now, Petunia Dursley wasn't good at spying on the neighbors for nothing. No, if anything she was very observant of the happenings around her. She knew the boy would be punished and she whole heartedly agreed that he disserved whatever he got. She and Vernon had sworn to put a stop to this freakishness when taking the brat in and now would be no different from his last beatings.

She saw her husband stumble through the front door drunk and took his coat like a good wife, then went upstairs to get ready for the night. She ignored the muffled screams of her late sister's son, and lay down to wait while Vernon taught the freak a lesson. Quite a while later her husband plopped down on the bed next to her smelling of whiskey and sweat.

She knew the freak was probably in the basement still (where he was always punished) but she knew that his…freakishness…would heal him by morning. It always healed him, but something felt different about this time and she couldn't put her long skinny finger on it.

She mentally shrugged and curled up for a peaceful sleep in the soft (extra large) bed. She would give the boy a day to heal before fetching him.

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He felt different. Not a good different or a bad different. Just…different. He knew he had died…but why hadn't he moved on. He looked down at his small hands. They were almost transparent, but he could see the small scar on the knuckle of his right thumb just fine. Looking farther down at himself he could see every injury and scar his uncle had inflicted upon him throughout his life. Gruesome gashes littered his body from his uncle's knife, and he was sure his back looked torn up even though he couldn't feel the pain he had come to know.

It was a weird sensation to have wounds but not be able to feel them. Not that he was complaining. It was nice for once not to have the ache in his belly or the sting of a lash. There was something funny feeling about his neck, though. He brought up his hands around his neck and gasped at the long sleek line that went around his neck. His uncle had used an axe to cut off his head…, but then why did he still have it? On impulse he ran a hand through his messy hair, but was shocked when his head didn't stay still. His vision (for some reason he no longer needed glasses) wobbled slightly before he found himself staring at the sealing from behind himself. Strange. He could still feel his body though. Making his body squat and turnaround he lifted his head back on.

A startled laugh escaped him as he thought of the repercussions of his uncle's actions against him. If his guess was right then Harry was now a ghost that looked exactly the way he did when he died, but he didn't know if they would be able to see him…. He filed that question away for later and wondered what would become of him now.

He must have pondered a long time because a sharp rap on the door and the normal shriek that followed drew him from his reverie. He didn't move a muscle. Did she know what he was now? Did she think he was still alive? He decided to sit back and wait for her to open the door so he could see her reaction.

As predicted three minutes later she came stomping back and swung the cupboard door open hard enough to dislodge all the spiders from their hiding places. Harry looked up at one of the people he hated most with new eyes.

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_The freak had better get ready before Vernon wakes up or he's be in for a rude awakening, _ Petunia thought. She knew something felt different around the house. It felt like the calm before the storm and Vernon's weird actions the day before bothered her to no end. He had told her to take Dudley to a sleep over and her to spend the day with the neighbors. She usually did this so it didn't look abnormal to others in the neighborhood, but to her? Vernon never made these requests.

She shrugged off the feeling and marched over to the cupboard and threw it open in annoyance. Silver eyes met hers and she froze in shock. The misty figure of a small mutilated little boy was hunched in on himself in the small cupboard. A strangled gasp slipped through her parted lips as she realized what sat before her.

Once upon a time her sister told her all about the freak school and how there were ghosts in Hogzits, or whatever the blasted school was called. There were people who had died and come back to life as ghosts.

Harry Potter was undead.

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Please please review! It makes my day when I read one.


	4. Chapter 4 Unfinished Business

Chapter 4

Kevin Johnson had always been into the paranormal. As a child he would often go on ghost hunts with his friends. He grew up knowing he wanted to help people deal with and understand ghosts. He now was the leader of the well respected group called P.A.T. (Paranormal Activity Terminators). He had seen a lot in his 36 years, but nothing could have prepared him for what he would see in his next adventure.

Kevin and his crew had been called by a Mr. Vernon Dursley reporting that they had a ghost that had suddenly appeared. Apparently when they tried to move to a different location the situation wouldn't let them. It was understandable that no one wanted a haunted house. To cut to the chase, they wanted the ghost out before the week was over.

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Harry Potter was a good actor. He had to be. The small boy knew how to cover his emotions and display fake ones. The haunted look in his eyes never really went away, but he hid it to the best of his ability. The scowl fixed onto his face whenever in the presence of his _family, _and a thoughtfully weary expression when alone.

He played his part better than one should expect of a six year old, but Harry had never been a _normal_ (oh, how he hated that word) six year old. The Dursley's now saw him only as a demented demon child. He wanted them to fear him, to shake in terror and in regret when he was in their presence. Maybe this was his unfinished business, so to speak

The Dursley's had tried moving to different houses already. The first time they tried their car broke down in the drive way. Vernon had been purple in the face when he realized they couldn't get to the hotel they were going to stay at. If Harry was alive he would have peed himself from laughing so hard, and the ghostly tears of mirth running down his face were unexpected. He found he was quite pleased to find he could still cry. It was something the Dursley's hadn't stolen from him, and for that he was grateful.

The second try went as well as the first with the moving papers catching fire, and the third with the new house exploding in a gas explosion a day before the deal was sealed. Harry was content to sit back and watch as the strange energy around the house made it so they couldn't move (blood wards but he doesn't know that yet). He didn't tell them that though. No, it was much more fun to watch them blunder.

Being a ghost wasn't all that bad. He hated that he was still alive and that he couldn't see his mum and dad, but a part of him relished in the game he was playing. Though after several more tries to move the Dursley's gave up and called in people to get rid of him. It was…surprisingly amusing.

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Kevin, Hannah, and Steve were on their way to Privet Drive, Surrey, and they couldn't be anymore stoked. The thought of a ghost that was told to be able to show its self completely was amazing. It had been a long time since they had had a call like this and they were looking forward to it.

With some gear in hand they went and knocked on door as a skinny, long necked woman opened the door and wordlessly let them in. The inside of the small house looked as if it hadn't been properly dusted for at least a month with pictures of a large boy littering the hall.

It had been decided that the couple and child were to stay upstairs for the night (as the ghost mostly stayed downstairs) while they conducted their investigation. It was getting late and soon it would be the perfect time to search for the ghost.

"It lives in there," said the giraffe like woman. Raising a trembling hand she pointed to a small cupboard under the stairs that was covered in locks.

The three ghost hunters raised eyebrows but didn't comment. With that said the woman turned on her heals and fled up the stairs. Steve sighed and went to go get his lock pick. It took him almost 10 minutes to get all the locks off but he eventually did. Taking a step back he opened the door with one fluid motion.

The small door slid open to reveal a small figure that they would forever see in their minds eye. A small child that looked four gazed up with an unreadable expression and haunted eyes. Simultaneously they all took a step away from the hunched child. Silver eyes following them.

Steve's whispered curse breaking the silence, "Bloody hell."

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Three pairs of eyes stare at him in shock from where he is on the floor. He blinked slowly up at them as one curses. _Who are these people? Why are they here?_ He caught sight of a logo on the girl's jacket and it all came together. _They're ghost hunters here to banish me to the afterlife. Ha, what a joke; like I would let them. I haven't finished my unfinished business yet. That was the whole point to being a ghost, right?_

"Hello child, my name is Kevin. What is yours?" The question startled him out of his thoughts.

_Should I answer them?_ He wasn't sure if he wanted to. The guy who had cursed was holding some hand held device that had a needle that was going haywire. Strange noises coming out of it and the girl held a small video camera.

Looking into the man's eyes he said in a whisper, "Freak." Soon after, he fazed through the floor and into the basement. _Let them make whatever they want out of that._

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Yay, chapter 4 done. I had a horrible time writing this…. Hope you like it.

In this story ghosts can see magic, and I hope to update sooner. I apologize if I have any grammar/ spelling errors. I have always sucked at spelling and I am trying my best. Any suggestions? I'm having trouble with chapter outlines and a plot….

**Please Review! **


	5. Chapter 5 A Missing Name

Chapter 5

Ghost Hunters could no longer be seen in Privet Drive. It had been a long four years since Kevin and his team visited number 4. After seeing Harry for the first time they had never seen him again, and when others came into the house to investigate all seemed well. They never knew Harry hid in the space between the walls. Only coming out when the intruders had left, and resuming what he'd been doing when they arrived. He ignored the Priests that showed up at the door, and reappeared when they left trembling praying to their god.

No one ever came asking about Harry Potter now. The story was spread that his father's brother had taken him to live with him in the States, and he hadn't been seen since. He hadn't been reported missing, so no one looked. He had never been reported dead, so he was never found. Not that it bothered him. No, he no longer cared about such trivial matters. He was content to just sit back and relax.

He had the Dursley's well trained by now. They no longer bothered him, and he was allowed to do almost anything he wanted now that they couldn't hit him. Harry enjoyed reading the most. When Dudley had first started primary school Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia had believed he would be a child genius and bought him mounds of high level books. Science and math was Harry's favorites and he progressed swiftly. If one were to have a conversation (which no one ever did) they would think he was smarter than the average high schooler.

Harry was always thirsty for knowledge and would go to almost any length to quench it. His aunt was often in the library picking up books for him to read, so that he would leave them alone. He was forever great full that he could turn the pages.

When he had first died he hadn't been able to truly touch anything. He had fazed right through it, but after much practice and concentration he found he could make small things move. Whether it be a page from a book or a pencil writing on a piece of paper it didn't matter. He could just do it, and that thrilled him. It was strange though. He couldn't hold these things for very long and the bigger the object the quicker he'd faze through it.

Harry had once tried moving his aunt's prized vase and as soon as he picked it up it slipped through his transparent fingers. Not that he minded or anything. His aunt wasn't too happy but he could care less. They had broken him, so it was only fair.

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Minerva McGonagall sat in her privet rooms at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry looking at the replies from the letters from the new first years. There would be a total of 47 new students this term. Wait 47? That couldn't be right. She had sent 48 letters….

She counted again. She and the rest of the staff had already visited the muggleborns though they had yet to take them school supplies shopping. The faculty thought it best to give the muggle family time to digest the new information before exposing them fully to their world.

Reading through the names she became aware of a missing name and mentally scolded herself for not noticing sooner.

Harry Potter was absent from the list.

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He stared down at the thick letter on the floor in front of the mail slot. It had his name on it…, and his cupboard. Strange. He had never gotten mail before, but he knew that this was an abnormal way to address one. The paper looked too old to buy in any stores he knew of, so where did it come from?

His aunt came down the hall to retrieve the mail and he faded into the ceiling to watch from a bird's eye view. As he watched she picked up the thick envelope only to lose all her color and shriek for Vernon.

_What kind of letter could have warranted that reaction? Oh well, dead people can't reply to mail…. _With a graceful shrug he glided back into his cupboard.

It wasn't until a few hours later a knocking on the front door disturbed his study time. The muffled voice of his aunt asked someone if they wanted anything, and the happy squeak of a man followed. _Do men squeak? _

A third person outside the door made himself known by saying in a board tone, "If you would be so kind as to retrieve the brat we will be on our way."

_Uh-oh. _This wasn't going to turn out pretty at all. "You must have the wrong residence, sir. No Harry Potter lives here," was the nervous reply of his aunt. She moved to close the door but something stopped her.

_Yeah, like the man would believe that._ A squeal of surprise and a thud sounded in the hallway and Harry stayed put. "Now, would you like to change that answer?"

"U-under the st-stairs," she replied shakily.

Their gazes switched to the dead bolted cupboard under the stairs.

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I know, I'm evil for making it a cliff hanger. I know it's short but I had to stop it right there so that the next chapter would work.

Ps. Hermione is coming up in the next chapter. **Please review!**


	6. Chapter 6 Lily's Son

Chapter 6

Severus Snape didn't have the patients to deal with insufferable children and a squeaky man all day long. He had potions to brew. Professor Flitwick and he had been sent to pick up a muggleborn that couldn't keep her mouth shut and the Prat-Who-Lived. He couldn't possibly see why Dumbledore had picked him for this mission. The boy would be just like his father. Potter probably had his relatives waiting on him and hand foot and thought himself too important to go to school.

The group of three took a portkey to Surrey and landed around the corner from the boy's home. It had been a very long time since Severus had seen this neighborhood. Memories of a small red haired girl flooded his mind and he tightened his occlumency shields. The memories temporarily at bay he started towards the run down looking home. The garden was overrun with weeds and the grass needed a trim. It was obvious that it had once been well taken care of but now it was as if it had been forgotten. _Potter's needs are probably keeping them from maintaining the house. _Not that he was surprised.

The trio stepped onto the front porch and Flitwick lightly knocked. Moments later a long neck woman opened the front door.

"Hello, how can I help you?" The woman's tone of voice clearly made it sound as if they were a waste of her time. None the less Flitwick gave an excited squeak making the woman's gaze travel from Snape to the small half goblin. Her face lost all color and hatred and fear flashed into her eyes.

"We're here for Mr. Harry Potter," Filius said happily. When the woman didn't respond and merely scrutinized them Snape lost his dwindling patients.

"If you would be so kind as to retrieve the brat we will be on our way," he drawled in a board tone. He narrowed his eyes at Petunia as her hand started to shake.

"You must have the wrong residence, sir. No Harry Potter lives here," the lie was told in a weak nervous voice that was filled with dread.

Moving quickly Snape grabbed the woman he hated as a child and pinned her to the wall. A gasp was heard behind him from the first year but he could care less. The sound of heavy foots steps started down the hall as he hissed menacingly, "Now, would you like to change that answer?"

"U-under the st-stairs," she replied shakily. Petunia's whole body trembled as the new arrivals' eyes switched their gaze to the locked cupboard.

"WHAT DO YOU FREAKS THINK YOU'RE DOING TO MY WIFE?!" The purple face whale bellowed before Snape swiftly stunned him.

Releasing Mrs. Dursley Snape quickly made his way to the small closet. Without a word Petunia ran for her fallen husband. With a small flick of his rosewood wand all the locks fell off with an audible thump.

The air around the closet seemed colder and heavier than the rest of the air around the house. With swift hands the Potions Master pulled the small door open and froze in shock at what sat before him.

For a moment the bat of the dungeons' mask slipped and he stared at the hunched emaciated ghostly figure before him. Glazed dead looking eyes stared back at him in weary apprehension as if expecting a rebuke. Severus' hand came up to grip the door frame around the small cupboard. His fingers turned white with the force of his grip.

"Severus?" The apprehensive question startled him and he looked at the small fearful form of the charms professor.

"Miss Granger please stay outside the door and Filius please come here." The soft reply scared the charms professor even more and he quickly moved to stand next to the kneeling man.

Silver eyes peered up at them and Professor Flitwick couldn't hold back the gasp of shock, disbelief, and horror that escaped him. "H-Harry?" he stuttered in dread. They watched as an unknown emotion flitted across the boy's eyes before he pushed himself farther into the cramped cupboard.

"Shh, it's going to be all right child," Snape said in a softer tone of voice that had never been heard by anyone other than a green eyed girl.

He wasn't stupid enough to say it was alright. No, obviously it was not all right. The child was dead. From what he could see of the child he could tell that he had died violently. Deep gashes littered his body and he wore only a pair of too big sweats. Silvery blood covered his chest and he knew that the child's back must be far worse. Looking at the child's neck one could see a thick line of blood that was probably the fatal injury. Not only did Potter have new gashes but scars littered his small frame, and Severus tried but failed to squash down the pity that welled up inside of him.

He turned his head away from the dead child to look at his colleague. Filius Flitwick had giant tears streaming down his face as he looked at Lily's only son. _Lily's son._ With that thought he snapped into action.

Raising his wand he said in a powerful voice, "_Expecto Patronum."_ Immediately a silver doe appeared in the room. A gasp was heard from Hermione as she peaked through the open door. Ignoring her and looking intently at the doe Severus said, "Headmaster, there is an emergency at Privet Drive. You are needed here as soon as possible, and it would probably be best if you brought one of the ghosts from Hogwarts as well." With that said the female deer dissolved in place to go find Albus Dumbledore.

Severus Snape turned around and gazed once more at the boy. At least this day couldn't be considered boring.

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This was so much fun to write! Ok any requests on how the Headmaster should react? He's going to be a nice Dumbledore, but I need ideas.

**Please Review!**


	7. Chapter 7 Father Christmas

Chapter 7

Helena Ravenclaw was considered the smartest of the ghosts inside of Hogwarts. She was the daughter of Rowena Ravenclaw one of the great founders of the best magical school in Britain. The Ravenclaws treasured knowledge above all else and never jumped to conclusions.

When Albus Dumbledore summoned her to his office she didn't get an explanation. She decided to let the situation play out to get her answers. Using an extremely old spell he bound her to himself, and he went through the floo, the magic dragging her along. They appeared in a muggle furnished home with an old woman sitting in a rocking chair to the side of the room. She looked up startled at their abrupt arrival, and was about to speak when Dumbledore held up a wrinkled finger and hurried to the door casting notice me not charms on him and herself.

Walking briskly down the road of the small muggle town he came to a stop at rundown looking drive way. A small girl with bushy brown hair was fidgeting at the front door, as if she was trying to stop herself from peeping in the house. The Headmaster dropped the charms and the small girl jumped when she suddenly noticed them.

"Miss Granger," Albus said dipping his head in acknowledgement of the witch he had never met. Her eyes widened comically at being addressed by a complete stranger.

Not waiting for her to answer they stepped into a narrow hallway where a large man had obviously been stunned with his wife holding onto him for dear life. Her eyes twitched in their sockets and her body trembled with fear of what was to come. Looking around the hall she could see a distressed Professor Flitwick who was sobbing in full force now next to Severus Snape who seemed pained in some way and whose eyes were guarded.

More worried than when he first received the summons Dumbledore strode towards the Potions Master who raised an accusing finger that pointed to an open closet. Helena stared at what she saw. A small child who couldn't possibly be over the age of four sat shaking in the small enclosed space a small scar upon his brow. It was only when the air around her started to crackle with power that she looked up into the no longer twinkling eyes of the most powerful wizard of the age.

Anger showed on the old man's face and moments latter every single window in the house shattered with a resounding boom. A startled cry came from somewhere upstairs and a whale of a boy came pounding down the stairs terror on his round face. Once he caught sight of the people in the hall though he changed his mind and made to run back up the stairs. With a flash Snape stunned the boy and he toppled down the stairs landing in a heap on the floor.

Albus Dumbledore stood tensely with his eyes closed as tears slipped between tightly pinched eyes. Those around him stared at him in shock having never seen him lose control before. His eyes opened and he once more looked at the cupboard only to find it empty; the ghost of Harry Potter having hid in fright.

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Harry sat deep within his cupboard watching the scene before him closely. Something was different about the two men in front of him. They radiated the same strange power that kept the Dursley's from leaving him; an energy that was foreign yet familiar. The tall pale looking one with greasy hair had waved a dark stick and said some strange words making a glowing deer appear. He talked to the deer as if it understood his every word before it disappeared. _What had happened? Had he truly gone insane?_ But with a mental shrug Harry discarded his confusion.

Harry didn't care anymore. He didn't care about making the Dursley's scream in terror or beg for mercy. No, in fact he hadn't left his cupboard for almost a year. It was the only place someone had never been able to hurt him. Uncle Vernon left him alone here; Dudley and his gang had never beaten him up in here. It was his and no one else's, so why were these men here who seemed to know him? They had no right to open his cupboard and tell him it was going to be all right.

Harry was pulled out of his raging thoughts by the sound of another person walking through the door stopping in front of his now exposed haven. A man that looked like Father Christmas stood before him with shock anger and loss all etched onto his old face. He was wearing bright red and gold robes that flashed brightly. He had never seen Father Christmas before. Uncle Vernon said only good little boys get visited by him, and Harry was not a good little boy.

Harry let his eyes wander a bit and promptly froze in shock at what stood next to him. A beautiful young lady floated just behind Father Christmas, but she wasn't a _normal_ lady, no. She was just like him. He didn't make so much as a sound as he gazed up at her no emotion on his face what so ever.

Moments later he looked back over at the man who gave good little boys presents and was shocked to see that strange power whipping around him in anger. Shrinking back from the enraged man he jumped when a boom shook the house. Shaking in fright he dove through the ground and into the silent basement.  
Taking up a defensive position in a far corner he vowed to never anger Santa again.

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Haha I couldn't resist making Harry think Dumbledore was Santa.

Ok what do you think? Should Hermione catch a glimpse of Harry and be taken to Hogwarts to calm down? Or should a professor take her home and reschedule her shopping trip?

How should the Dark Lord inside of Quirrell react? And does anyone have good ideas for Daily Prophet titles?

**Please Review! **


	8. Chapter 8 A Man's Guilt

Chapter 8

Guilt. All encompassing guilt threatened to smother him as he stood shaking in front of a small closet. _Get a hold of yourself_, he thought. Keeping hold of his emotions was usually easy, and almost came as second nature, but seeing what had become of the boy he had placed on the doorstep made him lose it.

All those years ago he had placed an innocent baby at death's door. He had sentenced a little boy to be horribly neglected and murdered, but how was he to know this would happen? He tried to argue that this wasn't his fault but it was in vain. It was his fault and he felt his gut constrict. Harry Potter would have lived to be a healthy strong boy had he listened to Minerva. Maybe if he checked up on the savior once in a while he wouldn't be standing in Privet Drive now with this guilt. He hadn't seen Harry for long but he knew that he had had a horrible life.

He should have had spells alert him if Harry was in trouble and needed help, but no he thought that Petunia would get over her jealousy and take care of her nephew. He was wrong. She had placed her hatred for her sister onto a little boy who had no idea what he had done to disserve the punishments he was always being given. Albus Dumbledore wondered what had caused the episode that had ended little Harry Potter's life. Had his family gotten tired of him, or had his magic made its self known? How could an adult punish a child for something they have no control over? How could one kill their own flesh and blood?

More tears escaped his eyes as he thought of what the boy looked like before he hid from them. He saw the blood caked throat, and the ribs that stuck out at odd angles from being broken. The injuries even made Severus wince in sympathy! But why hadn't the boy moved on? He should be in the comforting embrace of his mother's arms; not cursed to live everyday wondering what had he done to earn their hate.

Dumbledore pushed these thoughts away with one final silent sob and turned back to the task at hand. They had moved a very frightened Miss Granger into the living room so she could sit down with Professor Flitwick who was given a calming draft from Severus. They sat in one of the couches while Filius was trying to distract her by charming a tea set to come alive and tap dance around the coffee table. It worked to a point but one could see her mind was elsewhere.

Meanwhile Helena had gone down in the basement to see if she could coax the child out. Apparently he was very frightened of what Albus had done sand flinched whenever an adult male came near him. The only person he didn't have an aversion to was Helena and she was the first ghost he had seen besides himself.

Severus had left to the Ministry minutes ago to fetch Kingsley Shacklebolt and Rufus Scrimgeour. Kingsley was in the Order and Scrimgeour is the Head Auror. The Ministry had to be informed and the press would demand answers.

A soft breeze cold breeze drew his gaze towards the door leading to the basement. Slowly the ghost of a woman appeared through the door, and in her arms was the small form of Harry Potter. With a clear view of the boy's back Dumbledore's anger and guilt doubled. Long gashed littered the small frame making it look like he was whipped before he died. Everyone of his vertebra stuck out for all to see. Large bruises covered his upper arms in the shape of handprints, and the boy's hip bone jutted out giving the body the look of a walking skeleton.

A half shriek tore his gaze away from the Boy-Who-Lived and his eyes connected with terrified brown ones before they rolled up into her head, and Hermione Granger promptly fainted hitting her head on the small coffee table.

* * *

A small boy stood crouched against the far corner of the damp and dusty basement. Boxes were clustered around the room but the most striking thing there was the giant stain in the middle of the room. The once gray floor was now a brownish red color that she knew instinctively to be blood. _Had the poor boy met his death right here?_ The thought caused a shiver to travel up her spine as she imagined having this room be your last living memory.

Moving slowly in a nonthreatening way she crept towards the weary child. She kept eye contact with him the entire time all the while saying reassuring words. The fragile looking child seemed to relax a little when she introduced herself and told him she was there to help. She approached the child as one would a wounded animal, and he practically was. Who knew how long the boy had gone without the touch of another. The boy allowed her to get closer to him than most could have hoped and she held out a transparent hand to him.

For several long moments he simply stared at the hand with confusion in those usually expressionless eyes. Then, when she was about to open her mouth to speak once more, Harry raised a small withered hand and placed it into hers. Shock crossed her eyes before a proud smile found its way onto her face.

The smile seemed to trigger something inside of the boy for moments later she had her arms full of ghost. Her arms tightened around him into a firm hold as he buried his head in her neck. He became motionless as she lifted him and carried him up the basement steps and into the kitchen. He didn't reject the touch. No, it was as if he was basking in it. He leaned into her happily and allowed her to carry him.

A small scream made him twist around to see a small girl with brown hair sprawled out on the floor with the Headmaster and Filius leaning over her. Harry watched the small girl for a moment before settling his gaze on the old wizard. Recognition flared in once green eyes and he shrunk away from the man that caused the explosion. She whispered calming words in his ear and only stopped when a smile made its way onto his face. Following his line of sight she saw a hysterical Petunia Dursley who now had a silencing charm on her leaning over her pudgy son. Both father and son were still stunned and Petunia had resorted to slapping them to get them to wake. _Yes,_ she thought, _that would be pretty amusing if I were him too._

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Did I do Dumbledore very well? I was going to try to do Hermione's point of view but it was unbelievably hard. Okay any suggestions or requests for what happens next? Should the Dursleys being detained have its own chapter? I am open to any and all ideas.

**Please Review!**


	9. Chapter 9 News Flash

Chapter 9

**The Boy-Who-Lived Discovered Undead**

A ghost story by Rita Skeeter

Yesterday morning a shocking discovery was made that will break the hearts of the Wizarding World as a whole. On July 31st (The Boy-Who-Live's birthday) two professors of Hogwarts School were sent to take Mr. Potter and a muggleborn witch to Diagon Alley, but upon arriving they were greeted by the shocking sight of a small ghost child. We of the Daily Prophet were unable to get a picture of the boy so his condition is unknown.

Harry Potter had until recently lived at an undisclosed home that was assured to be safe. Albus Dumbledore himself placed the savior of the Light in the house of his muggle relatives. We were told that Harry would make an appearance for his first year at Hogwarts, and appear he did.

When the professors went to the home of Harry Potter they discovered that young Harry had been brutally murdered and had not moved on into the afterlife, but instead stayed as a ghost to haunt his family. Soon after this finding, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, Order of Merlin (first class), Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, and Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot arrived on the scene and took young Harry to Hogwarts. We have been unable to reach Mr. Dumbledore for his comments as of late.

The boy's family is being held in the Ministry were they were all dosed with the truth serum known as Veritaserum. When questioned under the truth serum shocking discoveries were made. Now, not all of the evidence was released to us, but the Minister has released that little Harry Potter was killed at the age of six by his own flesh and blood.

Is this what the Magical World will stand by? Will we have our children slaughtered by muggles? Will we let the death of the defeater of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named go unpunished? No. The Dursleys stand trial in one week and face the charges of murder, child endangerment, and child abuse. Petunia and Vernon face life in Azkaban or the Dementor's Kiss, and if they are convicted they could be the first ever muggles sentenced to the Wizarding prison.

Harry Potter's life is over but we of the Wizarding world will not let him die in vain. We will show the Dursleys what happens when you harm one of our own and let their punishment stand as an example for those who harm magical blood. We can only hope that this never happens again and take precautions against violent muggles.

The Minister would like to hold a public memorial service on August 15th to remember Harry Potter and give him the burial he deserves. All are welcome to attend and pay tribute to the late savior.

The defeat of You-Know-Who see page 4

Harry Potter from birth to death see page 3

Veritaserum and how it works see page 9

Dumbledore senile or sane page 7

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Okay I know it's short but I had writer's block! I deleted the whole thing twice to start over because it sounded stupid. I was going to write more but I decided to make it into a different chapter.

Any requests for how Harry acts in Hogwarts and his personality?

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	10. Chapter 10 Recipio

I don't own anything.

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Chapter 10

Kingsley Shacklebolt watched in disgust as a large black bag was dug up from behind the shed in the back yard. It had been a horribly long day. He had been left in charge of the investigation at Privet Drive while Rufus took care of a press release. This was one of the most disgusting cases he had seen, and that was saying something because he had worked the field for over 15 years.

Harry James Potter had been murdered in the basement of the home and dumped in the back yard. They had yet to perform a spell that would replay the scene that ended the boy's life and had only found out where the body was from a truth serum administered to Vernon Dursley. As the body of the Boy-Who-Lived was lifted from its whole he remembered interrogating the couple.

_-Flashback-_

They were at Headquarters for the time being while new recruits taped off the crime scene. The Dursleys were all in separate interrogation rooms waiting for the Veritaserum to be administered. They would question the man first as he fit the stereotype of an aggressor. He was a large beefy man with a temper, and Kingsley knew just by looking at the man that he wouldn't like him.

They levitated him into a chair expanded to fit his girth and placed three drops of the serum onto his tongue. With a quick _Ennervate_ the man's eyes opened and glazed over from the effects of the potion. With his partner Mike Johnson in a chair next to him they started the first round of questioning.

Saying a quick spell on a quill to make it write everything that was said he asked the first question to see if the potion worked.

"What is your name?"

"Vernon Richard Dursley," the reply could be considered monotone at best.

Nodding at his partner he continued, "How did you come to be the guardian of Harry James Potter?"

"The boy was dumped on our door step after his parents got themselves blown up." At these words frowns appeared on their faces by the way he described the death of Lily and James Potter. They were some of the nicest people he had ever met and never deserved their fate.

Deciding to move on he asked the next one, "How did Mr. Potter behave in your household?"

The reply was sharp and shocked the Aurors, "The boy's a freak; a menace to society." The quill recorded the harsh words with too much force breaking the tip. Conjuring another quill Kingsley decided it was time to get to the bottom of this.

"How?" he barked.

"His freakishness taints us honest and normal folk."

With growing anger on his face Kingsley asked, "Did you ever lay your hands on Mr. Potter intending to harm?" They were getting closer to the final questions and the atmosphere around them tensed.

"Yes," was the simple reply.

"Vernon Dursley are you responsible for the death Harry James Potter?"

"Yes."

Not sure if he really wanted an answer he asked in a dead voice, "Why did you kill the child?" his words were almost a moan, a disgusted curse, and a plea all used in the same sentence.

"He turned his teacher's wig blue." Shocked silence. To kill a child for accidental magic was inconceivable. Magic was who and what they were. Parents boasted about their child's accidental magic.

All of a sudden the air started to crackle and the lights in the room flickered as Kingsley's magic ran wild for the briefest of moments.

Mike stepped in and finished the interrogation. "Where did you kill him and what happened to the body?" He had to be fast; the Veritaserum was wearing off.

"I killed him in the basement and now his body rots behind the garden shed."

With a nod they stood up and a wave of Kingsley's wand bond the man to the chair with magical ropes.

_-End Flashback-_

They stood in the shabby basement near a dark stain in the concrete. All the boxes had been searched and moved to the side. Several people were gathered around and waited with baited breath for the spell to be cast. Raising his right arm Rufus said in a powerful voice, "_recipio." _(Means confess in Latin)

Almost at once ghostly figures barged through the door and a small boy was thrown into the middle of the room. They watched in horrified silence as a large man mercilessly beat the skinny child with his fists before pulling out a large knife. With slashing motions he sliced the boy open repeatedly while his other hand held him down.

Tears were in the eyes of all present as the man ripped off the thin cotton shirt that hung in tatters around the boy. Harry's eyes had glazed over in pain, and he shook and screamed as his uncle whipped the boy with his belt. Muffled sobs came from deep within the boy's bloody chest, and when the child stopped crying out Vernon turned the belt around and hit him with the buckled end.

Even in his half conscious state the boy yelped in pain and his cries turned into high keens of agony. Soon after the boy went limp under his uncle's hands and lay still against a wall. Vernon Dursley watched him for several long moments before grabbing the child by the ankles and dragging him back into the middle of the room. The child's body was truly a horrible sight to behold. One could see broken bones, and in several places Vernon had cut to the bone. Blood seeped out of the fragile body at an alarming speed and a few present had to leave the room.

Mr. Dursley left the badly bleeding boy and stumbled drunkenly out of the dark room returning moments later with a large axe clasped in his right hand. The scene ended soon after. Vernon had leaned over the boy as his eyes fluttered open before bringing the axe down onto the six year olds neck. Thwack! Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived's head separated from its emaciated and broken body leaving a dead child lying in a large puddle of blood.

The figures faded leaving the investigators in a daze as the realization of what had played out before them sank in. The silence stretched on until it was broken from near the door with a curse, "Bloody hell."

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Ok this was really hard for me to write. Thank you to those who have reviewed. All your reviews help me to keep this story going instead of holding off doing another. I think this story is going great for being my first one. Thanks for the support.

Ps. Kevin might make a reappearance….

**Please Review!**


	11. Chapter 11 Family Relations

I don't own anything.

Chapter 11

At Hogwarts children being out of bed after dark was a large violation of the rules and could be punished severely. It was once recorded that in one night four students were found out of bed and lost over two hundred points and won themselves a week's worth of detentions. Of course when two of the children happen to be Fred and George Weasley then anything is possible. During the school year teachers and prefects wondered the halls searching for intruders and students alike.

Of course Harry Potter wasn't a normal child and never paid much attention to rules. Though he wasn't technically attending the school so he could do whatever the hell he wanted. Two days. It had been two days since his world had been turned upside down…again. It had shocked him that he wasn't the only one. He had thought he was alone, but now he had an explanation for the things that had happened to him.

Magic. Magic had caused weird things to happen around him. Magic was the reason his family hated him, and magic was the reason he wasn't truly dead.

The first day in the castle he had spent hiding from everyone, and the second day was spent in the library. He was beyond grateful that he could move small objects still. He would have just died (pardon the pun) without books at the Dursley's. Some of the books in the library were old tomes, and were too big and heavy for him to move. Not to mention the vulture of a lady that always watched him from the corner of her eye. Her stares made him uncomfortable in the extreme and she was stricter looking than Aunt Petunia.

Harry had been approached by ghosts and adults many times, but he found that he just didn't like people looking at him period. Maybe living in a cupboard his whole life had made him shy, but Harry couldn't stand being in a room with too many people. When someone made the move to approach him he fazed through the floor and refused to speak when spoken to.

Hogwarts was huge and he found that the darkness comforted him as he glided through the halls. He had found quite a few hidden passageways earlier and now he was determined to memorize the entire school. Being a ghost helped immensely. Whenever he was lost he could easily go through walls to find a familiar place, but Harry relished the challenge. He had always been stealthy and great at navigating.

As Harry glided down the long halls he thought of what had happened when he first entered the castle.

_-Flashback-_

They had gone through a fire place and entered a weirdly decorated room with lots of moving portraits upon the walls. He had been frightened of going through the fire at Ms. Figg's house but the ghost woman had said it would be ok. He still clung to her as though his life depended on it and showed no sign of letting go anytime soon.

To others her touch probably felt cold, as if you were plunged in ice cold water, but to him it was a comforting touch that radiated warmth. It was as if a feeling of calm and peace seeped from her into him and Harry welcomed the long lost feeling of another person.

The small man was levitating the brown haired girl to some kind of doctor, and Harry thought this should make him feel at least a little guilt for scaring her but the feelings wouldn't come. He hadn't really done anything and he no longer cared if they punished him in some way. Punishments were always given for a reason and he was sure he'd earned one. Making one hurt themselves would have been punished by his uncle tanning his backside.

The old man had calmed down but anger still shimmered in his blue eyes. He sat behind a large desk with his head in his hands and Harry watched the man for several long moments. The lady had set him down and he had moved to one side of the room ready to bolt if need be.

"Harry?" The shakily asked question pulled him out of his thoughts and his eye darted to meet blue before flickering away. He didn't want to speak to this man or anyone for that matter. He had nothing to say and therefore he decided to stay silent. He stood frozen with a blank look on his face as the man looked him over. "I'm sorry child."

Confusion washed through him._ Why is he apologizing to me? Is he upset about breaking the windows, or is it something else? _ No one had ever said sorry to him before. His eyes met blue once more before the door burst open. Bang! A woman with her hair in a tight bun slammed the door open and it crashed into the wall leaving a small hole.

"Albus I swear Peeves has gone too far this time! Do you kn—" Her words came to a complete halt as she looked around the room. Her eyes traveled to Harry and widened when they saw the lightning bolt scar on his forehead. She rounded on Santa, "ALBUS PERCIVAL WULFRIC-"

Harry made himself fall through the floor and landed in a crouch a level bellow. Shouts echoed from above him and Harry had no desire to stick around. Looking at his surroundings he found himself to be in some dark stone room. The room was filled with old desks and he concluded that this was an old unused classroom.

Moving swiftly he glided through a wall and almost went through a very plump woman. She gave a shriek of surprise that quickly turned into a horrified gasp as she got a good look at him. With a yell of pure frustration and panic he took off once again leaving behind a very shook up Herbology professor. He raced through halls and walls and only stopped when he came across a small closet. Fazing through he only saw a few brooms so he settled down in the bottom of the broom cupboard. He sighed in relief at being in an enclosed space.

Huddled in the dusty closet only one thought came to mind: _What have I gotten myself into?_

_-End Flashback-_

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Mike Johnson had had a very long day. He had investigated the muggles around the house, but they never turned up. They had all known the small Potter boy and had been told that a relative from his father's side had taken him away. When asked if anything weird had happened at the house they all said that the Dursley's yard used to be extremely well kept. They never heard the screams of a small boy in the night, or they were so used to it that they reported nothing of it.

_These people are messed up,_ he thought as he made his way over to his mother's house for dinner. He was close to his family. He was a muggleborn and his parents had been thrilled when it was discovered that he was a wizard. His older sister had been killed in a car crash when he was younger by a drunk driver and ever since then he had pursued a job in law enforcement.

He apparated to a small forested area behind his parents' house and knocked on the plain white door. They lived in a cookie cutter house and shivered when it reminded him of Privet Drive. Entering the house he got a kiss and a hug from his mother and a pat on the back from his father. Moving into the living room he found his older brother watching football. Kevin was only two years older than him and could be considered wild. He did whatever he wanted when he wanted and refused to be serious. With a nod from him he plopped down to watch the game.

It wasn't until later during dinner that he got the surprise of a lifetime.

"So Mike, how's work been?" his mother asked.

With a sigh he told them of the murdered child at Privet Drive. When he told them of where the murder had occurred his brother had become increasingly stiff and gripped his cup tightly in his right hand. His brother's next words made him freeze in shock, "Was the family's last name Dursley?"

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Ok chapter 11 done. Thanks for reading and tell me what you think.

**Please Review! **


	12. Chapter 12 No Shoes

I don't own anything.

Chapter 12

People large and small, old and young stood gathered around a statue in the middle of Diagon Alley. Some sobbed, others stood silently at a loss for words, and yet there were a few that smirked. A slightly chubby man with a bowler hat stood on a raised platform with several ministry workers behind him.

"You are gathered here on this day of mourning to celebrate the short life of Harry James Potter. As you all know Harry Potter was a highly respected figure and icon in the Magical world. He was a symbol of hope and innocence. His life showed that all darkness must come to an end.

"Unfortunately, young Mr. Potter never got to be introduced into the world he helped to create. His life was ended because his muggle relatives never understood him. He grew up not knowing what his parents died for and he was found many years later still inhabiting the house. We were too late to save the person that saved us, but we can promise that this will never happen to another child again!

"Lucius Malfoy has been kind enough to invest in a new magical orphanage that will open before the end of next year and our children will never again be placed in the homes of abusive muggles. If one's family dies then they will be taken care of by professionals." Cheers rent the evening air at this announcement and Mr. Malfoy stood tall and proud on the stage. He was far too pompous for his own good and several people glared at the blond.

"Mr. Potter's ghost resides in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Students will see him there and the press is asked to leave the poor boy alone. The child is exceedingly shy of people and so far prefers to be by himself."

As the Minister spoke Albus Dumbledore stood quietly to the side of the stage. He couldn't help but remember the ending of the trail of the Dursleys that revealed so much more than he had imagined. He had been shocked when a memory of what happened at Number 4 Privet Drive was played beforethe Wizengamot. He and several others had cried when watching the life being snuffed out of the six year old, and had been enraged when Vernon Dursley had been subjected to Veritaserum.

Even some of the Dark Lord's old followers looked disgusted at the magical child's treatment. The boy was treated worse than purebloods treat their house elves. It had disgusted all those present that this man could harm an innocent boy.

It was determined that Vernon and Petunia Dursley would spend the rest of their lives in Azkaban Spa and Resort, and Dudley would go live with his aunt Marge. The boy was instructed to receive counseling and his memory was whipped of any and all magic. Marge Dursley had not known of the murder that took place in her brother's home and therefore was not held accountable for anything. Although those that spoke to the lady all said she was a retched woman that was just as large as her brother. When hearing this Amelia Bones had been affronted at the thought of a woman looking anything like the walrus and had declined meeting her.

They knew from the very beginning of the trial how it would end and no one was surprised to where the Dursleys were sentenced. The Aurors had found rock solid evidence against the man and his wife and there was no lawyer that could have helped them.

With a sigh he pushed the memories of the trial away and thought back to how Harry Potter himself was. The boy had only been spotted a few times in the last two weeks. He spent time devouring books in the library when he wasn't hiding. Albus had asked the ghosts around the castle and all had said that the child wouldn't let them within five feet of himself. Apparently the child also refused to speak, and this worried Dumbledore greatly.

_Had the child been so traumatized that over time he lost whatever little sanity he had left? Was it fear that kept him away or something more?_ Thousand of questions ran through the mind of the old man and each one made him feel worse. He was facing an inquiry and there was very little he could do about it. Not that he didn't disserve far worse. No, in fact he thought he disserved to die for his crimes against the child.

Letting his eyes wonder he looked at the statue of a small boy in the middle of the Alley. It was of a boy with a lightning bolt scar on his brow and he was squatting down on the ground. His eyes seemed to glow as he looked up at the people around him and a contented smile rested across his features. In his right hand he held a small lily upon his palm, and at his feet rested a small plaque with the words, "Never will we forget," engraved on it. The boy looked angelic as he knelt among metal wild flowers with a butterfly resting on the plaque. Those nearest the statue looked upon it with barely concealed awe.

He had to admit it was quite a striking sight to behold. Looking at it he made a silent promise,_ No never will I forget._

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Luna Lovegood loved skipping. Not only was it amusing but it also attracted energetic gallinarius. These creatures were rather small winged birds with multiple colors. They were funny little animals that could not fly and were very good at camouflaging themselves. The gallinarius loved to eat fruit but detested green things, so today she wore all yellow. The birds were also for some reason deathly afraid of shoes and the _clack clack_ of leather on stone frightened them away.

To those around her she might have looked a bit mad with her grape earrings and her orange peel necklace, and that is exactly what Harry thought when he first saw her.

"Hello, have you seen any gallinarius this afternoon?" The slightly musical voice asked the dead child. Harry looked at her intently before shaking his head. "Shame they are wonderful you know. Their dung can be used for making the best skin care products."

The ghost looked at the ten year old with amusement flashing trough his eyes. The girl wasn't _normal_ and he never wanted to talk to a normal person ever again. They stood there for several long moments before a distant voice broke the silence, "You're Harry Potter." Maybe it was the way she said it or the fact that this child didn't frighten him but Harry stayed put and didn't run off.

He cocked his head to the side at her strange but true announcement and let a small smile play across his bruised lips. He gazed blankly at her outfit before his eyes rested upon the girl's feet. His brows furrowed with confusion at her lack of shoes. There was something about her that made him want to laugh, but not at her. No, she radiated a sense of adventure that he had never felt before.

Without looking up at her he said in a soft voice, "Why aren't you wearing any shoes?"

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And there are Harry's first words! Don don don! Hope you liked it. Not one of my better chapters but it was important for the story line.

Ps. Gallinarius is the Latin word for chicken….

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	13. Chapter 13 September 1st

I don't own anything.

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Chapter 13

September first was always a day looked forward to in Hogwarts and even Harry found himself anticipating the new sights and sounds in the halls. Though he didn't look forward to the stares he would no doubt be receiving for some time.

Harry had learned a great deal about the wizarding world from his Luna. Luna lived in the castle because her father taught Arithmancy in the school. Apparently Luna got her oddness from her father who also believed in her strange creatures, and they often went searching for these animals all over the world. She was 10 years old and her mother died the year before in a spell accident.

When they met she never looked at him as if he was to be pitied. Quite the opposite in fact. She never asked him how he died she just went with the flow as if nothing was wrong. He liked her more than the retched ghosted girl on the second floor girls' bathroom. She had screamed for a good three minutes after he floated through the wall. Even though Harry had found a friend he still refused to speak with most people and he preferred to be left alone.

Tonight the students would arrive and he found himself half dreading the feast. As a ghost he was required to make an appearance and he was not looking forward to it one bit. Luna said that the students had to be placed into houses based on their personalities and had to go through some type of test. Hearing this almost made him grateful for the fact that he was dead, almost. He was too shy to ask anyone what the test was and Luna thought they were going to have to capture a Crumple-Horned Snorkack.

Harry had been formally introduced to the ghosts of Hogwarts two days before and found that he had a lot in common with them and was starting to welcome their presence. The Grey Lady was the only one he had allowed to touch him but he had listened to many interesting stories from Nearly Headless Nick. Nick was an older ghost with his head almost completely cut off, and Nick was forever bitter at the fact that a few millimeters of flesh still connected his head to his body.

The Bloody Baron had only looked upon him with indifference, while Harry looked at him with curiosity and a little fear. He hadn't heard the story about why he wore chains and dripped blood but it was none of his business. Harry himself probably looked more worse for wear than he did so Harry kept his thoughts to himself.

Peeves on the other hand was a mean bully that had cackled at the sight of Harry and had broken into a crude song. Not that this was the first bully to pick on Harry so Harry did what he did best. He turned uncaring and old eyes upon the poltergeist, and Peeves' song died down almost instantly. Harry had avoided him lately. He didn't fancy being called "Potter the rotter."

In the time Harry had spent wondering the halls he had come to know the castle quite well. He could find any of the classrooms and had found the kitchens and dorms easily enough. Every night he went on a night time stroll, and everyday he visited the blond haired girl that lived on the second floor.

He was to meet up with the other ghosts for an entrance into the Great Hall, and an impromptu meeting was held on the way there. They walked together through walls not wanting to be late for the feast.

_"Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance-"_

_ "My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost-I say, what are you all doing here?" _(Rowling115)

They had stumbled onto the room where the first years were waiting to be sorted. Dozens of small pale children stood on unsteady legs waiting to be tested in front of the whole school. A boy had his cloak fastened under his ear while holding a struggling toad in his right hand. Harry's lips twitched in amusement as they stared at them in fear. A bushy haired girl caught his attention and he met the eyes of the young girl he had frightened the month before. She looked at him with shock, fear, and a great sadness upon seeing him again and Harry couldn't meet her gaze for long. Moving swiftly he covered the distance left between him and the Great Hall and floated up into the rafters of the enchanted ceiling. No one saw him enter the hall and he wouldn't be greatly missed for some time.

He had never seen so many people in his life and he would do anything to stay up here where no one looked at him forever if he could. He didn't want a person's sympathy directed at him. He got that enough every time he walked by a professor, and he didn't think he could handle it coming from this many people. It was better to go unnoticed than anything else. Recognition only brought some sort of pain.

He watched from above as a line of children that he should have been with were herded to the front of the hall were an old hat sat on a stool. Everyone stared at the hat so he fallowed their example. A thin tare appeared just above the brim and a mouth formed. The Hat seemed to suck in a large breath before singing in a loud creepy voice.

Harry watched in amazement as the Hat explained the houses and where and how the children were placed in them. He watched as every child walked towards the Hat with dread on their faces as if they were going to die if they were placed in the wrong house.

He noted that the Sytherins were only clapped for politely for by the Ravenclaws and other Slytherins. No that this surprised him he had heard whispers of the Slytherin house being considered evil by other houses, and it made him wonder what house he would have been placed in if he had been sorted. The house tables were now filled with hungry impatient students waiting to be fed.

After a few nonsense words from Albus Dumbledore mountains of food appeared on extravagant platters making Harry gape at the shear amount of food. He was a child that was sometimes forced to go days without food. And if he was fed it was only table scraps or stale bread. He had never seen food like this and it made a pang of longing shoot through him.

He watched with slight disgust as children crammed large amounts of food into their mouths not paying attention to what delicacy they were gorging on. Did wizarding children always eat like this if they never paid any mind to what they were ingesting?

When he thought the Dudley impersonators had had their fill he was proved wrong when dissert arrived. Finally after what seemed like a life time of watching children stuff their faces the food vanished and the Headmaster stood up.

"Just a few words before we hit the hay. As every year the Forbidden Forest is forbidden, and Mr. Filch has posted a list of banned items in his office for those interested. As a reminder I would like to say that love potions have and always will be banned. Love should be spread but not that way." As he said this his eyes kept flickering to two red headed twins at the Lion's table.

"I would also like to inform you that this year the third floor corridor on the right hand side is out of bounds…for those who don't wish to die a most painful death." Harry cocked his head to the side at this obvious threat; you don't tell a group of students this it will just peak their interest. It was an accident waiting to happen.

"We also have a change in staff again this year and I would like to introduce you to Professor Quirrell. Last year's professor decided to go into an early retirement for personal reasons. I would also like to welcome Mr. Lovegood to the castle. He will be teaching Arithmancy this year and Professor Quirrell will be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts.

"One more notice before we sing the school song: as many of you have heard we have a new ghost residing in Hogwarts. His name is Harry Potter and he might be a bit frightening when you first see him, but I hope all of you get past appearances. Mr. Potter has taken up residence in the castle for the time being, and will be seen around the school. I ask of all of you to treat him as you would any other ghost or professor. The child demands your respect and I advise you not to make him your enemy. Mr. Potter was supposed to become a first year this year but alas, it seems fate wouldn't allow such a thing to happen.

"Now Harry would you please come down from your hiding place and greet the students?" It wasn't a question asking for permission. It was a demand. Harry froze in fear before slipping on an indifferent mask and floating down next to where the stool once stood. Gasps rippled across the hall at his appearance but he paid them no mind.

He turned lifeless eyes onto the Headmaster before gazing at the students. Every eye was on him as he raised his right hand to his head. Grabbing a fist full of hair he tugged his head off of his shoulders making a popping noise echo through the hall. Raising his head two inches into the air he said in an empty voice, "Pleasure."

He placed his head back on and turned on his heel. He floated through the wall just as a first year vomited on his neighbored. As he fazed through the wall a smirk made its way onto his transparent face. _Maybe this year won't be so bad after all._

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Haha I've had this planned for s long now and it was fun to write. Okay anyone's thoughts or comments? Should Harry know something is wrong with Quirrell?

**Please Review! **


	14. Chapter 14 A Madman's Cackle

Thank you to those who review I love reading them. P.S. I don't own anything. Enjoy!

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Chapter 14

In a magically darkened room sat a hunched and quivering figure whimpering every so often. He screamed out in pain as his master took out his frustrations at his current state on him. Silencing wards were the only thing keeping people from hearing his shrieks of agony. A purple turban was discarded on the cold floor of his room, and weak dead eyes gazed out of the back of his head. Lord Voldemort had infiltrated Hogwarts after ten long pain filled years of being nothing more than mist.

The Dark Lord's head protruded from the back of Quirrell's head with a scowl on his disfigured face. Slowly but surely the scowl faded on the Dark Lord's face into a malicious grin, and the man's eyes seemed to glow as he let out an insane cackle that frightened his host.

_The child is dead_, he thought as his cackles continued growing in volume. Though he was a bit disappointed that he wasn't the one to do it seeing the child as a ghost had been satisfying. The child had had a worse child hood than he had, and with this story coming to light he would gain more followers who were against muggles. The death of the child could be used in his campaign. Muggle haters were more likely to join the dark forces than the muggle loving fool that placed him there. Already Dumbledore had lost weight and looked older than before. The death of the boy had greatly affected the old wizard, and several families had cut all contact with the warlock.

The child of the prophecy was dead and now no one could stand in his way and Dumbledork knew this. He had doomed the world to be run by a Dark Lord and there was nothing he could do about it now. Albus Dumbledore was strong. Yes, unbelievably so, but he was stronger. Lord Voldemort would steal the stone before the old fool knew what hit him.

The servant gasped in pain as his master let out a cackle of mad laughter at the boy's predicament. _Yes_, he thought, _this year will be quite interesting._

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A small child the age of six sat huddled in the corner of a classroom filled with children. He watched from a place that protected him from wondering eyes as the professor taught first years. Harry Potter was very interested in the magical world but what this teacher was saying was a snore fest. More than half of the class was already asleep and the class had started not ten minutes ago. Harry had been interested about the fact that a ghost taught this class but he quickly changed his mind after said ghost opened his transparent mouth.

With a muted sigh he fazed through the floor intent to find something else to occupy his time. He glided through walls not paying much mind to those around him and the stares he received. Many classes were in session when he billowed through the walls and many students jumped in fright at his abrupt appearance. He never gave them a second glace and just kept moving on his way.

Most classes were being taught at this time and he froze when he fazed through the wall of the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. Something wasn't quite right. He had gotten the same feeling the day before when the new professor was introduced and the feeling returned tenfold. In front of the class stood the daft Professor Quirrell with his wand held in a shaking hand. But it wasn't just this one man standing there and Harry could see that. No, there was something sinister inside of the man. A darkness that literally oozed out of the man's head in a thick fog. Harry gazed at the students only to see that they were just bored, as if they couldn't see anything wrong with the stuttering professor.

Harry's eyes narrowed at the possibility that he was the only one to see it and a sneer crept onto his face as he took up a spot in the back of the class. People's eyes flickered to him once in a while but he ignored them in favor of watching the man wearing a purple turban. A tingling sensation spread over his scar when the man looked up at him but a few minutes later.

The man was a horrible teacher but to those who looked closer you could see cracks in his mask. The man's eyes had a fake fear in them but a dark malevolence shone through. Harry could see magic and as such he could both see and feel the strong energy the man constricted. The magic seemed to be muted and held at bay, as if the man was trying to appear weaker than he actually is.

A scowl crossed his features at the man's horrid stuttering and he left before he had to hear anymore of the man's retched voice. He didn't want to lose whatever sanity he still had and fled from the garlic filled room. Some ghosts just wondered the halls at this time of the day so he simply nodded to those he past. All ghost had the right to sit in on classes but only few did for reasons other than to help the students.

As he floated he remembered the effect he had had on the children of Hogwarts and the fear he had installed in them. His appearance alone could make people wet themselves and this thought always amused him. He had made a first year barf onto his friend. Of course he had been chewed out by Helena afterwards but he had hardly listened. The wizarding world had left him to rot at the hands of the Dursley's and they could go sod off for all he cared. He had one friend and that was enough for him.

Luna was a wonderful person and she was quickly growing on him. Her personality always made the haunted look in his eyes lessen for moments in her presence, and her clothes always amused him. Though he knew that the eccentric girl would be targeted by bullies almost constantly, and Harry was determined to protect the girl for as long as possible.

Maybe he'd tell Luna about Professor Quirrell but soon thought better of it. _What could a ten year old girl do to help?_ No, he'd just watch from the shadows as the mystery unwound itself before him. Something was defiantly wrong with Quirrell and Harry Potter was going to keep his eye on him from now on. _Nothing is going to harm my Luna_, and with that thought Harry Potter fazed through a wall in search of something in the library that could answer his questions about Quirrell.

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Okay what do you thing?

And in answer to someone's review; no Harry will not come back to life. I personally feel as if that would ruin the story and I refuse to make poor Neville fight the Dark Lord. I've read those types of stories and that would make Dumbledore mean. I'm a person who loves Neville and Dumbledore and I just can't write that type of fic.

Everybody's reviews have made me really think about where I want to take this story. I want to know if I should make this more like a series, but I don't want to make separate books. I think it would be far better if I compressed the books into one or two stories. Give me your thoughts.

I would also like to say that I brag a lot to my family and friends about some of the reviews I get from those who keep up with this story. So thank you.

**Please Review!**


	15. Chapter 15 Plans

I don't own Harry Potter.

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Chapter 15

Albus Dumbledore sat at a large oak desk in the middle of his office. Small trinkets surrounded him and he was busy studying one closely through his spectacles. With a large sigh he placed the malfunctioning instrument down and placed his head in his hands. This instrument was supposed to tell him if something bad ever happened to Harry Potter, but for some reason he couldn't explain it didn't work. It had never smoked and whistled. Harry Potter had died and no one had been the wiser.

The small ghost child had wrecked havoc at the welcoming feast and many children were more freaked out about him than the Bloody Baron. A handful of Hufflepuffs had vomited and a few other students had fainted at the gory sight of the child. Not that he could blame them. The image of Harry Potter's body would forever be ingrained into his eyes when he closed them. People were already using Harry's story to fight child abuse and somehow someone took a picture of the child and it had been in all of the papers. Harry Potter's fate was well known in the wizarding world.

Dumbledore had received many howlers at all times of the day and he was quickly reaching his breaking point. On top of that something suspicious was happening inside Hogwarts. The Dark Lord was once more on the move and the Sorcerer's stone was on the third floor. Harry Potter would never fulfill the prophesy made all those years ago in the Hog's Head. Neville had never been marked and he didn't have the confidence to carry out such a task. This could only leave one person strong enough to kill Voldemort.

It was up to him to kill the Dark Lord now.

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Hogwarts truly was a beautiful place and Harry was quickly growing attached as he sat on the roof of one of the towers. The sun had dipped down and was partially behind the Black Lake. The sun cast wonderful colors into the evening sky and Harry drank up the sight with a small sigh of contentment.

Harry's days at Hogwarts past much faster now. Every day while Luna was being taught math and writing he would join other classes or stalk Professor Quirrell. With each passing day Harry's suspicion of the man grew and he was close to confronting him about the thing possessing him. He had seen what was under the turban when he fallowed the man to go to bed. A sickly face with red eyes protruded from the back of his head and if Harry was alive he would have been sick. He didn't exactly know who the demon was but he wanted to find out, and he was already devising a plan to expose the man with the purple turban.

With a sigh he switched his thought to less pressing matters and thought about what he read on ghosts. Apparently he was far from normal in death as well. Most ghosts were afraid to die but Harry had wanted to. He had begged his uncle. Harry wanted nothing more than to move on but something was holding him back. He had tried to cross over and even had a seventh year perform an exorcism on him to no effect. He couldn't cross over.

He was also strange in the regard to moving objects around at his will. Normal ghost couldn't do that and the only other that could was Peeves. Though technically Peeves isn't even a ghost. He's an annoying poltergeist who needs an attitude adjustment. He had been practicing his ability to move things and he was steadily growing stronger. He could lift things for longer periods of time and he relished the control he had over something for the first time in a long time.

He never told anyone but Luna about the things he could do and he didn't plan to reveal his gift until the right moment. Thinking of Luna brought a smile to his face. She truly was a beautiful creature. They had gone searching for Toe-Licking-Salamanders yesterday and it had been great fun. He had laughed for the first time sense he moved in with the Dursley's and once he started he couldn't seem to stop. Someone walking by would think he had completely gone off the deep end and he wouldn't have dissuaded them.

He had had a wonderful time and he didn't care about what everyone else thought. Luna did something that no one had ever done before.

She had made him feel alive.

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Tomorrow was Halloween and he had devised a great plan to distract the teachers of the school while he made a dash for the stone. They would be so preoccupied that they would never notice the stone gone until it was too late and his master was once again whole. _Hopefully some unsuspecting mudblood will get killed_, he thought.

His master had pointed out to him the fact that the Potter boy had been fallowing him a lot lately and they had to act quickly if they were to avoid being discovered. His master was strong but not strong enough to fight the older wizard yet.

The Dark Lord had been inside of him ever sense he had failed to steal the stone from Gringotts. Having a dark lord on the back of your head understandably hurt but he was willing to do anything to please his master or die trying. When the Dark Lord rose again people would rue the day they thought him concurred by a toddler. Nothing could destroy the Dark Lord. He was too powerful for love to throttle him, and one day he would make them all pay.

At the moment Potter was just a bug on the windshield of life and he would be scraped off like all others that defied his master's wishes. The child was dead but the Dark Lord could still make his life hell.

With that thought they went deeper into the forest tracking the injured unicorn.

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Thank you so much for reading. I'll update again soon I promise.

**Please Review!**


	16. Chapter 16 Quirrell's Troll

I sadly don't own Harry Potter…. *sobs*

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Chapter 16

Harry's pov:

Halloween had its ups and downs. Everyone seemed to celebrate it accept Harry. Sure he loved scaring people, but something bad always happens on the holiday. He learned that his parents were murdered by the Dark Lord on this day and he was sent to live with the Dursleys. That night had been the beginning of the end and his life was forever changed. Fate must hate him because not five years later he died on the same day at the hands of his uncle. He refused to attend some feast where children gorged themselves on the day everything went to the dogs.

Something bad always happened on Halloween and this year would be no different. So the ghost of Harry James Potter was busy patrolling the grand halls of Hogwarts. He kept both eyes and ears strained for the smallest disturbances in the empty halls trying not to let his thoughts distract him from his mission. Quirrell was planning something and Harry could feel it. He just need more evidence to the fact that he was a danger, and if he did anything that could hurt Luna Harry would expose him in front of Dumbledore. Seeing as something always happened on this dreadful day Harry took it upon himself to guard the inhabitants of the castle while they partied.

As he glided he heard soft footsteps heading towards the dungeons. Harry picked up his pace only to get the biggest fright of a life time. Professor Quirrell stood in a hall where all the portraits seemed to be gone, but Harry knew better. There was a spell that could banish portraits to their other frames for a period of time. But the empty portraits weren't what garnered his attention. No, it was the 25 foot mountain troll that was being suspended my Quirrell's outstretched wand with ropes binding it.

The troll must have been under a silencing charm because no sounds from the creature's moving mouth met his ears. Not wanting to be seen by the Defense teacher Harry soundlessly moved into the shadows to watch what unfolded before him.

Harry watched in horrified fascination as the professor cast a strong compulsion web on the preoccupied troll. The professor then undid the ropes before hurrying down the hall and going through the painting of a muggle farmhouse. Harry looked back at the troll and hissed when the spell levitating it dropped it to the floor. The troll hit the ground with an echoing thud that shook the entire hall and many frames shook on the walls.

The troll roared in anger before clambering to its giant feet. Moving further out of the way Harry watched as the troll walked dumbly in the opposite direction as Quirrell. With one last look at where the teacher had gone Harry set off at a swift pace after the befuddled troll. Harry accounted for his actions on the bases that a monster was more dangerous than at the moment in a school full of children-right?

With a ghostly shrug he stalked the large monster down the halls.

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Hermione pov:

Hermione was not having the best of days. Since coming to Hogwarts all she wanted was to fit in and learn magic, but she didn't have any friends. Ron was the reason she was crying in the girls' laboratory instead of going to the Halloween feast. Part of her was disappointed that she would miss it but there was another part of her that knew that it wouldn't miss her. Not for the first time she thought of going back to her muggle school. She was ostracized there as well but not as badly as here.

Her sobs echoed through the large bathroom and she tried to quench the next round. She would stop crying and be strong. Her parents were proud of her and she was top in her year in almost every class. She would become a powerful witch and it didn't matter what others thought.

The sound of heavy footsteps and a repugnant smell stopped her in her tracks as she walked out of a stall to wash her face. She looked up to see a giant green monster barge through the once closed door. She screamed in terror as the beast's black beady eyes centered on her.

The troll raised its club and swung with a sickening roar. Hermione ran back into the stall only to have the troll break it into little more than slivers. She hunched next to the toilet frozen in fear as the monster raised its club straight above its too small head. She watched as if in slow motion as the monster brought it down for a killing strike. Tears spilled from the corner of her eyes she let loose a terrified sob.

_I don't want to die,_ she thought in a broken whisper.

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Harry's pov:

Screams rang from a bathroom not that far from his current place of hiding. Professor Snape had run by in the direction of the third floor and Harry had not wanted to deal with the grouchy man. Snape was doing something and he was a grown man and could take care of himself. Another scream echoed from the girls' loo and he took off like a bat from hell towards the screaming girl. As he glided only one thought echoed in his mind, _Please let it not be Luna_.

He charged through the wall lined with sinks and his heart stopped at the sight before him. The bushy haired girl from earlier in the year sat sobbing in terror amidst the shrapnel of what once was a stall. The troll stood over her with his club descending on her in an arc over its head. With a snarl of pure fury he threw himself at the cowering girl and _pushed_. The girl slid through the wall she was backed up against and they tumbled into an unused classroom. Using his gift he slowed the girl's descent but she still bumped her head. Enough so that she passed out. Whether from relief, shock, pain, or fear he didn't know.

Above them he heard footsteps and he poked his head through the floor. He calmly watched as the professors subdued the enraged troll. Powerful spells came from the Headmaster's wand and ropes flew out of McGonagall's. For the second time that day the troll was bound and levitating a few feet above the cold stone floor. Quirrell stood on shaky legs a bit behind them and Snape rushed through the door and stopped only to sneer at the DADA teacher.

Quiet words were exchanged and Harry cleared his throat softly before he crossed his arms on the floor and put his chin down. Four sets of eyes flew to his haunted ones and he met each of their gazes before saying in a clear sarcastic drawl, "A first year is in the classroom below me unconscious. She had a bit of a run in with Mr. Troll, but besides a few scrapes and bruises with maybe a bump on the head she is fine." When he said the word fine his eyes flickered to Professor-Fake-Stutter in time to catch a glint of anger in his hazel eyes.

With that said he mentally cursed Halloween and flew through the ceiling above the teachers' heads. _Yes_, he thought, _Quirrell is going to have to go._

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Thank you all for your lovely support and know that I read each and every wonderful review. I do not care how long or short they are so even if you were to just say "I liked it" that is fine. Sorry I haven't been updating as much lately I've been really busy. I hoped you liked this chapter and I apologize to those who wanted Harry to kick troll butt.

I already know how I'm going to expose Voldemort *flinch* and I hope to put that in the next chapter. I'm sorry to those who really hate short chapters but I for one suck at writing long ones…. I thank you for your patients and keep reading!

I hope to have over 100 reviews by the middle of November.

**Please Review**


	17. Chapter 17 Beneath a Turban

I don't own Harry Potter.

Chapter 17

Hermione Granger lay quietly on a pristine hospital bed deep in thought and pretending to sleep as to not attract the attention of the school nurse. She hadn't wanted to stay the night in the hospital wing but here she was. Hermione had only sustained a concussion that was easily cured with a revolting purple potion with lime green chunks. Apparently she had hit her head pretty hard and Madam Pomfrey had expected amnesia. Thankfully she could remember everything that transpired after the troll entered the girls' laboratory and she had seen her rescuer from the corner of her eye. But that's what troubled her the most. For one, ghosts couldn't touch people, and Harry Potter didn't really like people and as far as she had seen he had a cruel sense of humor.

She had thought she was going to die in that bathroom without saying goodbye to her parents. She was shook up to say the least. She had been saved by a dead child who didn't even know her. He had pushed her through the wall and floor and had tried to stop her from falling so quickly. The Headmaster had come to talk to her already and had assured her that the troll was taken care of and her parents were notified. Apparently they had been hysterical when Dumbledore told them and he spent a great deal of time assuring them that Hogwarts was safe and that it was a freak accident.

With a sigh she turned over and thought about how horrible Halloween had turned out. It was mostly her fault. She came on too strong to her class mates. They tended to shun her for her knowledge and her eagerness to learn. She thought that maybe she could tone it down a bit and just have fun, but there was so much to learn! How could one take all this knowledge for granted and not study it? She would thank the boy the next day for saving her life and then go on learning and find some way to repay the life debt she now owed a dead person.

Rolling over once more she got comfortable in the bed and fell into a much needed slumber.

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Third person pov:

November first gave way and Harry watched from the shadows as the cursed man walked to the Great Hall for breakfast. The professor had charmed his face to cover the dark circles under his eyes and had taken a pepper up potion to help him stay awake after the pain his master had put him through as punishment for being incompetent. Quirrell walked swiftly through the halls and made it to the Great Hall in little to no time at all. When he entered the Hall suspicious black eyes regarded him coldly from the head table, and with the man's false stutter he greeted those near him.

Children everywhere were talking excitedly about the troll that had entered the school.

"Do you think someone let it in? I heard that trolls are really dumb," someone said from Ravenclaw.

Over at the Slytherin side of the hall most were subdued but a few whispered amongst themselves, "A first year mudblood was attacked. I hope-"

Voices slowly died down when a figure materialized in the middle of the hall. Harry Potter was never to be approached in the halls and he refused to talk to students most of the time. If he was seen it was in a class or with the Lovegood child. It shocked many that he openly showed himself in front of them when he usually preferred to be left alone.

He stood facing the professors and many of them were stunned silent by the intensity of his gaze. Ghosts were usually aloof. They hardly ever got truly angry and when they did they often fazed away, but before them stood a ghost child with silver eyes blazing with fury. His hands were balled into fists at his sides and he threw his arm out and away making the house tables slide towards the doors. Students cried in shock and fear as their seats moved.

Harry paid them no mind as he gazed hatefully at the quivering DADA professor. Raising his hand he made it look as if he was gripping an invisible cup. With a squeak Professor Quirrell gripped his neck as his breathing was cut off and was raised from his seat and deposited on the floor feet away from Harry.

"Mr. Potter wha-" Harry cut the Headmaster off with a wave of his hand.

"Wh-what d-d-do you-u w-want P-Potter?" The question was asked in a voice that carefully hid a threatening tone, and Quirrell rose gracefully to his feet. With a wave of his hand Harry knocked the purple turban off the man's head exposing what lay beneath to the professors who had risen as one.

"You do not belong here demon," his tone was laced with power and authority. If Quirrell was truly the stuttering idiot he pretended to be he might have pissed himself on the spot.

All of a sudden a voice interrupted what he was going to say next, "You dare to stand in the way of me? I Lord Voldemort the most powerful wizard in the world? You are just a pathetically abused little boy who can't die properly." The Dark Lord's words were more of a hiss than anything else. When the Dark Lord spoke screams and terrified sobs echoed around the hall as children coward together under their tables fear etched in everyone's faces. Older students stepped in front of younger ones and some were being escorted out through the large doors.

"Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. Have you looked in the mirror lately?" People gasped in surprise at the attitude the boy showed to the darkest wizard of all time.

At the high table Dumbledore had a look of utmost fury on his lined face and his expression reminded everyone why Voldemort had feared the usually twinkling old man. Power engulfed all those still in the Great Hall as the Headmaster's aura seeped out into the room and made the air heavy. Albus Dumbledore pointed a cream colored wand at the possessed teacher that had turned around to let his master talk to the boy.

Harry moved to the side slightly to give the older wizard room as he walked towards the DADA professor. With a swish of his wand every student left was pushed out of the hall and the doors were sealed. A scream escaped Quirrell as the Dark Lord took over his body completely. His eyes melted into a crimson red and hatred shone above all else as Voldemort turned his attention to the man who he had hated since he was a child.

Many professors made a line behind the Headmaster of Hogwarts and had their wands pointed at He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Power crackled in the air as the two warlocks began to duel. Dumbledore threw a house table at the possessed man who vanished it with a great sweep of his wand and conjured a giant fireball sending it flying at his enemy.

Muttering under his breath in Latin Albus sucked the fire into a vacuum that cut off the oxygen keeping the fire alive. The fire went out instantly. Lightning shot out of his wand and sped towards the Dark Lord and the dark wizard couldn't do more than throw up a _protago_ and he was slammed backwards as his shield burst into a thousand pieces.

"AAHHHHHHHHH!" Voldemort's demented scream shook the entire castle and windows shattered leaving behind large shards of glass. The shock wave of magical energy caused a few professors to fall to the ground and they all stumbled slightly. A smirk on his face Harry raised his hand and shot it towards the shards of glass making them fly towards the Dark Lord's unsuspecting back.

A scream rent the morning air as glass punctured centimeters into the man's back. Blood seeped from the man's many wounds and for a moment the Dark Lord's back looked like Harry's chest. Using the distraction Harry had caused Albus Dumbledore sent a curse in a language Harry didn't understand at the screaming man. The spell hit the man fully in the chest and Harry watched in horrified fascination as Quirrell fell to his knees eyes changing from crimson to their original color.

Quirrell gripped the sides of his head as a dark mist seemed to seep out of his head. Pained filled cries filled the room and Quirinus Quirrell dropped dead on the cold stone floor as the Dark Lord shot out of him.

The dark spirit darted through the ceiling of the Great Hall before anyone could say or do anything and a collective of breath was released as they realized that the Dark Lord had fled.

With one last look at the body of the person that dared to harm the children Harry vowed to protect Harry smirked in satisfaction and happily skipped off to tell his Luna of what had transpired. _What a lovely way to start one's day_, he thought with a barely concealed glee.

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Ugh I had horrible writer's block. I knew what I wanted to happen I just didn't know how to say it. I hope you liked it, and I found out a really cool way that I'm going to end this story and in a few chapters the school year will end.

Any ideas on how Harry acts with the basilisk? Should he kill it or befriend it? Anyway I've been planning a lot of the final battle but you'll have to wait quite a while to read it.

Though I'm trying to think of a way to resurrect Moldy-shorts and any and all ideas are appreciated.

**PLEASE REVIEW!**


	18. Chapter 18 Holiday Cheer

Chapter 18

Harry's pov:

Over the last few days at Hogwarts it had been complete chaos. Classes had been canceled and students reassured. It was very entertaining to say the least. Hufflepuffs no longer walked to places, they scurried. The teachers were even stricter about behavior and more and more children were getting detentions for "not paying good enough attention." But after the incident in the Great Hall, most people left Harry more alone than ever. His frightening display of power shocked and scared many students. The teachers' reactions were quite humorous. Snape hid it well but one with a practiced eye could see that he was jumpy. His eyes twitched whenever Harry entered the room and he was often seen subconsciously rubbing his forearm.

Harry had been ecstatic at how well his plan worked out, and Luna had said he was being swarmed by Tuscan Tweeties. They were little creatures that flew around your head making one overly happy.

Hermione Granger had approached a few days after the troll incident and had personally thanked him for saving her life. She had been unsure and awkward at first but after a few minutes she warmed up and started telling him everything that she had learned. He listened attentively to her tales of charms class and the evil bat of the potions dungeon for the better part of an hour before walking her to Gryffindor tower. It wasn't quite a friendship yet, but it was well on its way to becoming one.

She was anti social and didn't know how to act around children her age and often hid behind books to escape the pain of being shunned. Harry knew what it was liked to be shunned by your peers, but his had been much worse. Harry had been beaten up for the rags he wore and the tape on his glasses. He wasn't a bad kid; Dudley had just scared all those who wanted to play with him.

The school year started to pass quickly and before he knew it students were packing for the winter holidays. Many children were going home to their parents and the castle felt quite empty without kids wandering the halls. Harry had never liked Christmas at the Dursley's and always did his best to stay away from them. Not that they ever stuck around for the holidays. They often went to Marge's house to be as far away from him as possible.

But Christmas at Hogwarts was nothing he had ever seen before. Large trees covered in bubbles, popcorn and live ordinates decorated the Great Hall. He found himself staring at the display for hours in his free time. Seeing as ghosts don't sleep this usually consisted of the night time. Twinkle lights glowed brightly in the darkness and something always rose up painfully in his chest at the sight of the happy children. It took him a while but he found out what was causing his chest to ache. He had never had a present, never had a hug, never had a caring mother to kiss him on Christmas morning, and most of all, he never had someone to share it with. All of his life he had been pushed into a closet when anything good happened and beaten when something bad happened. Holidays were always spent alone.

The new environment and atmosphere had thrown him for a loop and he wasn't sure how to act around other people. The school was just so happy and Harry was never the cheery sort. He preferred silence than chatter. The truth was that Harry wasn't handling the holidays that well.

A few times Harry had found himself in a broom closet with no memory of making a decision to go there. It had been a bit frightening, but he never moved away from the small spaces. He sat huddled in the closets for hours on end staring off into space.

He could only hope that this Christmas would be better than the last, but he tried in vain to squash that hope down. Hope was an emotion he couldn't afford to feel even though it blossomed whenever Luna spoke to him. He didn't know what he would do if Luna turned away from him. He loved her too much. She was _his_! With a sigh of contentment and fear he looked back at the trees from his hiding spot in the rafters. _At least the view is nice_, he thought, but then he looked at Ron Weasley stuffing two chicken wings into his mouth at once and quickly changed his mind.

* * *

Ok I'm so sorry for it being so short I've been really busy and this is a transitioning chapter. It doesn't mean much it just needed to happen. So Hermione is now his friend and there was a big time jump.

**PLEASE REIVIEW!**


	19. Chapter 19 Late Night Explosions

Chapter 19

Harry's pov:

A ghost child walked quietly down the halls away from the library. He had been out late reading a book in the restricted section about runes. The halls were silent and he only stopped once to nod a greeting to the Potions Master.

Christmas had come to pass and the rest of the students would be arriving the next day. Harry was a bit sad to see the decorations being put away and he mourned the loss of the quietness throughout the castle. Classes would resume and a new teacher would be teaching DADA.

The sound of Mrs. Norris drew his attention to an open door and he silently glided through it. He found himself in an empty classroom. It looked almost like every other classroom on this floor not in use. Some desks were pushed to the side and large windows showed the darkened grounds. He was about to turn back when a something caught his attention. A tall mirror stood in a corner of the room. Harry looked at the magic surrounding the mirror. Large tendrils of magic rippled across its frame, and its surface seemed to shimmer as he stepped forward.

Upon closer inspection one could make out words engraved onto the top of its frame. "I show not your face but your heart's desire," he whispered in a wary voice. The words were backwards and jumbled but that didn't stop Harry from understanding the riddle. Stepping even closer he caught sight of his reflection.

His dead heart stilled.

There standing before him was a happily smiling boy with no scars upon his face and his eyes weren't haunted. Next to him stood two adults with their arms around him. The trio smiled brightly and happiness radiated out of them. As he stared, a mirror image of Luna skipped into view and grabbed the boy's hand. But there was something different about them. They were the same age. The young man stood upright with confidence in his every move. A soft smile graced his lips as the blond girl drew near and he kissed her temple. Silent giggles erupted from her and they skipped of and out of view.

Harry was left staring at the people that could only be his parents. They looked happy and untroubled, relieved and relaxed in their mirror life. Looking at them standing their without a care in the world made a fiery rage well up in side of him. They were dead. He was dead. He was supposed to be with them dammit! It showed something that was impossible, teasing him with the improbability of it all. Anger flashed through him and shot towards the deceitful mirror.

For a moment his eyes flashed a livid killing curse green.

Time seemed to slow as the magic around the mirror seemed to vibrate and turn a dark shade of purple. After a tense moment of silence, where everything seemed to go back to normal, an explosion rocked the castle. The mirror exploded with an echoing boom and if Harry had been alive he would have died quickly from the powerful magical backlash that was created.

All around him small magical fires raged and debris flew past him and crashed into the walls. Untouched by the explosion Harry stood silently in the destroyed room. His eyes were back to normal and no emotion showed on his damaged face. Footsteps echoed down the hall, and he deftly turned on his heal and fled through the nearest wall.

* * *

Albus Dumbledore's pov:

Albus Dumbledore sat at his large desk in his office. As the Headmaster of the school he had many important duties to attend to. But being the man that he was he also advised the Minister daily. Unrest had settled in the Wizarding World and murdering muggles was becoming more common. The violent death of the boy had sparked a fire amongst people who just wanted a reason to torture what they thought to be lesser beings.

Dumbledore placed his head in his hands and for the umpteenth time and regretted not listening to Minerva. She had warned him about placing the boy in their household. If he had jus-

A defining explosion rocked the castle. The Headmaster was on his feet and out the door with his wand in hand moving faster than most people thought him capable of. Rushing down the hall at a break neck speed he was soon joined by several other professors, many of whom were still in their nightwear. They ran past the library and came to the room he had temporally placed the Mirror of Erised in. It was to be moved to protect the stone before Quirrell had been killed, but now the stone had been returned to its owner.

They came to a thundering halt at the sight before them. Small fires engulfed the hangings and shattered remains of the furniture littered the room. A gasp sounded from behind him as Professor Sprout caught sight of the destroyed classroom.

Dumbledore walked a little closer and with a wave of his wand put out all of the fires. The mirror had exploded and the magical backlash had caused a lot of damage. Movement out of the corner of his eyes drew his attention to a far wall. He turned in time to see a small mangled ghostly back faze through the wall without looking back.

_Maybe young Harry isn't out of the game just yet_, he thought grimly.

* * *

I honestly didn't plan to have this as a part of my story and had completely forgotten about the mirror. Thank you to the person who reminded me.

Harry's eyes flashed green on purpose and this will happen again. Should Lockhart make it as new DADA professor for the rest of the year? This question has been nagging at me for the past few days and I need help.

I love getting plot advice and I try to put what you want in the story, so all ideas are welcome!

**PLEASE REVIEW!**


	20. Chapter 20 Summer Adventures

Chapter 20

Harry's pov:

Tinkling laughs filled the empty corridors, as two children amused themselves by making funny faces at the portraits.

It had been only a few days sense the end of the school year. The new DADA professor hadn't lasted that long and wouldn't return the next year either. She hadn't been very good and many thought she was more of a toad than anything else. Harry had taken to teaming up with Peeves and pelting her with dung bombs whenever she came near. The woman found pleasure in putting down students and she couldn't stand Harry. Not that it was all one way. Harry couldn't stand her either.

Once while in the Great Hall she had approached him, with a stuck up expression she had told him to leave. Apparently he was making her lose her apatite. Not that she needed anymore feeding. It got to the point where he had had enough and retaliated. The next day he had come prepared and when she again sneered at his presence he had thrown Holy Water on her and screamed, "Be gone demon this is the house of the Lord!"

The lady could have passed as Uncle Vernon with the color she was turning. Harry had become quite popular and was quoted quite a bit for sticking up to Professor Umbridge. She had been a horrible woman that no one liked. The Weasley twins had become conspirators against the foal woman as well, and Harry found he quite liked them. They were brilliant when it came to pranks. Someday they planned to build a joke shop and Harry knew it would be a huge hit.

Luna ran in front of him as he chased her through the halls. They ran free spirited through the castle grounds playing makeshift games of tag and ghost hunter. Luna would be a first year this upcoming year and Harry was determined to make it her best. He would go to classes with her and protect her from Slytherins. Luna and Hermione were his friends. Well not his only friends. Neville had somehow wormed his way into Harry's heart, and Harry often spent hours talking to Neville about plants. He would make a fine Healer one day.

Harry and Luna were dangerously close to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. When he had first met the ghost girl he had been shrieked at, and Harry didn't want it to happen again. He bet that her screaming was the only way to make a ghost deaf.

"Luna, don't go in there!" he hollered as the blond haired witch ran into the disserted bathroom.

No sounds reached his ears. No screams from the over sensitive girl. Nothing.

Harry charged through the wall and instantly ran through a still Luna. She stood in the middle of the room with an intense look on her face staring at an ordinary sink. No. Not ordinary. Powerful magical tendrils glided around the sink into the wall and floor. He stepped up beside her placing his arms around her waist he pushed her through the floor and together they floated to the floor beneath.

As they landed he vowed to check the sink again latter. Alone.

* * *

Later that night a small ghost child knelt before a sink in a girls' laboratory. He looked at a small snake engraved lightly into the metal. His eyes narrowed in thought before he pushed his hand through the secret entrance. To his surprise his hand was met with air. With a small shrug he plunged his head into the wall and gazed down into a large black tunnel.

With a long suffering sigh he jumped. If he was alive he most likely would have been a mess by the time he reached the bottom. Slime covered the walls and small skeletons littered the floor. He stood in a large stone cave that extended farther than he could see. Harry Potter looked back up the tunnel before walking farther into the cave. Torches lit as he walked lighting the way through the twisting tunnel. Harry glided quickly and when he came to a second door with snakes on it he just pushed his way through it. A gasp slid from his lips and he halted in midstep.

The sight that lay before him took a moment to sink in.

Beautiful jade tiles covered the floor while a giant statue stood on the far wall, and Salazar Slytherin stared back at him. Stone snakes covered the walls and they were sculpted perfectly making them look as if they were about to slither away. A small pond lay at the end and water formed a peninsula around him. As he moved the eyes of the snakes seemed to follow him.

Harry stood in silent awe. He stood in a place that most likely hadn't been entered in years. He stared at the chamber for several long moments before walking to the founder of Slytherin house. The marble statue was brilliantly carved to look like the famous man and Harry looked at it closely. The entire thing was magical, but surly there was something more to this chamber than some statues.

Moving forward on silent transparent feet he glided closer. Wanting to see what lay beyond the chamber Harry glided through the long nose of Salazar Slytherin.

He stopped short when his sensitive eyes locked onto a monster curled up fast asleep in the secret room.

A basilisk slumbered without a care in the world meters before him, and he could do nothing but gape. "_Bloody hell_," he cursed. But it didn't come out in English.

* * *

Basilisk's pov:

A soft whisper interrupted his slumber and with a deadly hiss he opened his eyes and lifted his head. A small grey form stood dumbstruck before him. A ghost. The dead human looked like a hatchling, probably no more than five summers.

He reared higher into the air when the child met his gaze and nothing happened. People died when they met his eyes. Why was the hatchling not reacting? If a ghost met his stare they usually faded from consciousness or had another chance to move onto the afterlife, but here this child stood. Defiant in death.

"_Why are you here hatchling_?" he hissed not really expecting an answer.

"_The same could be asked of you_." The reply made his eyes widen as the ghost child spoke the noble language of the serpent. Who knew that after 50 years of being alone a dead speaker would seek him out once more. With a long suffering sigh he readied himself for the questions he knew were soon to be asked. And thus the legend of the Chamber of Secrets was retold once more.

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I'm so sorry I haven't updated sooner. My cousin turned one and then it was Halloween….

I hope you are satisfied with this chapter but I need a huge favor. I find myself in need of an amazing snake name. I had planned for this chapter to have the basilisk's name but I couldn't find a good one. All ideas are welcomed.

I wish to thank all my reviewers as I have reached 100 reviews and now I'm eager to get more. I'm sorry that I don't reply to all of them, but please know that I read each and everyone. I don't even know it you receive my responses…oh well.

Okay one more thing before I tell you to review: Voldemort needs to come back alive and my writers block on this problem is eating away at me and therefore I'm practically torturing my poor  
mother. I would love some ideas…and so far no one has really said anything besides one person. Thank you to that person, but I need more ideas.

Okay I'll stop nagging, thank you for reading!

**Now this is the part where you type nice things in the box below! **


	21. Chapter 21 Rats

Draco is not with his father in this scene.

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Chapter 21

Lucius Malfoy's pov:

He was not panicking. Malfoys do not panic. They never allowed such an emotion to cross their face; never showed such a weakness in front of an enemy.

He had found out that the Auror department was doing raids on Ministry employees' houses. Being a suspected Death Eater put him at the top of the list, and he had many dark artifacts that could land him in Azkaban. For life.

If he didn't get rid of them a permanent black mark would be on the Malfoy name. The Malfoys were a noble pureblood family that had enough money to buy out the ministry itself. Maybe he should sell some of the darker objects that he had. Yes. That's what he would do. They wouldn't find anything if there wasn't anything to hide.

He set off at a perfectly practiced glide with a small case shrunken in his robe pocket. Walking over to a grand fireplace he drew some floo powder in his gloved hand and tossed it in with a hissed, "Knockturn Alley!" He arrived at a small bar at the end of the Alley and confidently strode towards the door. An elderly man stepped in front of him on his way to the bar and with a swift flick of his wand he banished the man into the wall. Silence filled the bar as everyone ducked their heads trying not to draw attention to themselves as the blond walked by.

Stepping out into the dark alley he walked with his cane with a steady loud gate that announced his presence to all those near. He walked with his head held high and a superior smirk on his face. Many people around him drew their hoods and moved out of the way as he walked towards them. No one messed with a Malfoy if they knew what was good for them.

He stepped into a small shop and a bell rung above his head. A man appeared behind the counter and a gleam entered the store owner's eyes at the sight of the rich man.

"Welcome to Borgin and Burkes Mr. Molfoy can I interest you-" a hand cut him off as the blond put up extra silencing and anti-eavesdropping charms before moving to the counter. Unshrinking the case he placed it carefully on the old counter.

"Not here to buy today Borgin," the silky self important voice said with a hint of a sneer. Giving a nod of understanding and disappointment Borgin let the blond place several items in front of him. Borgin looked closely at a dark rock and a few magical gadgets before being presented with a diary.

A gasp slipped through the man's lips as he read the name engraved on the cover and his hands shook. Lucius watched as the man paled before giving the book back saying, "I will not have anything like that in my store. Tom would be most displeased if he found it in my care."

Mr. Malfoy was not happy in the least. He needed to get rid of this diary if he wanted to avoid Azkaban. He did what Malfoys did best. He threatened. He stood there arguing with the man, but Borgin wouldn't let up and nothing would make him change his mind.

An hour after he entered the store he strode from it angrily, determined to find someone to dump it on. He was to be searched next week; maybe he would sneak it into the school somehow. For today though he would deal with other things until the students got their letters.

Yes. After all his Master had told him that one day he was to place the book in the hands of a Hogwarts child. The Weasleys were being searched today after all. He could smuggle it into the hands of one of their many children after the Ministry left them alone and none would be the wiser.

His lips curled into a snarl of a smirk as he made his way to the apothecary.

The Weasley's house:

* * *

A small rat missing a toe trembled under his owner's bed as the Aurors turned the house over looking for dark objects. He hoped to God that they wouldn't think to perform a revealing charm on the youngest boy's room. It could detect an animagus from a mile away.

The Weasleys' house had been truly a great place to hide. No one would expect them having anything to do with the dark. He played the part of a boring pet quite well and he didn't want anything to change that. He had faked his death and framed his ex-friend. He was responsible for the deaths of two of his friends. He was a servant of the vanquished Lord Voldemort, and if he were caught now it would ruin everything.

A creek met his ears and he cringed under a sock as two pairs of feet entered his line of sight.

The two men were carelessly searching through drawers half heartedly, and he relaxed slightly at the thought of careless Aurors. He was safe. The Aurors turned to leave and right before they left the room and closed the door behind them he sneezed.

Damn.

* * *

**Peter Pettigrew Found Alive! Is Sirius Black Innocent?**

By Rita Skeeter

Peter Pettigrew, Order of Merlin 3rd class, was found alive in a Ministry official's home yesterday afternoon. He had been in an animagus form of a rat and had been supposedly murdered by the infamous Sirius Black. The only part left of him was his finger after Black blew up an entire street. But did this really happen? Why would the hero hide for a decade if he was truly a hero?

The truth is that he wasn't a hero at all. Under Veritaserum Pettigrew confessed to many things, one of which happens to be betraying the Potters to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. So where does Black fit into all of this? Is he innocent of the crimes he was sentenced for?

Later that evening Mr. Black was retrieved from Azkaban and is now in the Ministry awaiting questioning about this new development.

But there is more. It turns out that Black had never even gotten a trial after the death of his friends. He wasn't even questioned. Has the Ministry sentenced an innocent man to hell?

Only time will tell.

Story of Sirius Black see page 3

The Dark Lord's Downfall see page 5

Illegal Animagus Forms see page 7

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Yay! My writing has gotten so much better. Great…I think writing from Lucius Malfoy's pov is making me full of myself. Oh well, it was fun to get into his character.

Thank you so much for all your wonderful help I have a name and a few ideas now. I would like to thank Aealket for the name of the basilisk. He was a great help with an interesting name. I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

**Okay, you see that box below? *puppy dog eyes* Please.**


	22. Chapter 22 Snakes and Aches

This chapter contains content from book 2. I do not own it.

AN: the muggles are Dean's parents.

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Chapter 22

Lucius Malfoy walked silently through the book store while his son taunted the Weasleys. He would make an appearance soon, but it had to be at just the right moment or his plan would be foiled. He walked in custom made dragon hide boots towards the youngest red head just as a boy readied himself to spring at the Malfoy heir. Now was the time to step in. After all, it wouldn't do for a Malfoy to fight like a common muggle.

He saw Arthur moving near the children as well and he quickened his stride to get there slightly before the muggle loving fool. "Well, well, well - Arthur Weasley," he said with a famous Malfoy sneer from behind his son.

The Weasley patriarch dipped his head and coldly replied with a, "Lucius."

"Busy time at the Ministry, I hear," he drawled. "All those raids. . . I hope they're paying you overtime?" He reached over and snagged a warn transfiguration book from the girl's shopping cauldron. He sneered at the tattered book, waiting for the right moment to slip the diary into it. "Obviously not," he amended. "Dear me, what's the use of being a disgrace to the name wizard if they don't even pay you well for it?"

His words caused the older Weasley to flush.

"We have a very different idea of what disgraces the name of wizard Malfoy," was the stiff reply.

"Clearly," he drawled, his eyes catching the sight of two muggles watching the scene apprehensively. "The company you keep, Weasley. . . and I thought your family could sink no lower-"

A blur of red flashed before his eyes and he collided with a bookshelf. Books rained down from the shelf and shouts filled the air as the red head tried to attack him. The muggle lover was throwing punches left and right and the blond retaliated by elbowing him in the lip. They only stopped after the Half-Giant pulled them apart after the store keeper failed to subdue the fight. Pulling his emotions back behind a mask he tucked the diary in the child's book before thrusting it back into her cauldron.

"Here, girl-take your book- it's the best your father can give you-" he snapped before removing the oaf's hands and leaving the store with his son. A satisfied smirk curled at the corner of a bruised lip.

* * *

Harry hummed happily to himself as he walked around the Chamber of Secrets. It had been a few days since he had first found it and talked to the snake that protected the grounds, and many things had transpired. He found that the snake had been placed hear by Salazar Slytherin himself many years before the man passed. This chamber had been made into a secret hideaway of sorts with secret rooms. When the man left in a fit of anger he took few things with him and placed a hatchling in the chamber. Slytherin had placed strong compulsion webs on the animal to obey a speaker at all times.

He couldn't disobey if he wanted to when a young Tom Riddle entered the school 50 years ago. Apophis (A-po-phis) was one of the oldest basilisks still alive as many had been hunted for their scales and breeding them was illegal. The snake was a slithering dictionary on all things magical and Harry spent hours just speaking with the softly spoken snake.

To Harry, Apophis reminded him of a grandfather. He was stern in his dealings with the ghost but was too wise for Harry to get the better of. And Harry had tried all sorts of things when the basilisk was unsuspecting. It seemed that the basilisk could sense him when not even humans could hear the whisper of dead feet on cold stone floor.

A smile flitted across the ghost's face for a second before a blank mask appeared. The school year was to start in two weeks time and he was afraid. Afraid that Luna would make a new friend. Afraid of losing what was his to a stupid, self centered child. A low growl rumbled through his chest at the mere thought of someone steeling his Luna.

He had other friends of course. Hermione and Neville were great companions but they could never be like his Luna. Luna was his first friend; the first person to accept him for what he was. A freak. For he knew that even in the magical world he was an oddity.

Moving swiftly he scaled the head of Salazar before moving onto the newest torture that had entered his death. Who knew death could be so irritating? The new Defense teacher was so dumb that Harry felt as if he lost five IQ points just by breathing the same air as him. He bet the blond didn't even know which side of his wand to hold.

Sure he was pretty, but there were more things to life than hair products! Ugh, when he first met the man he had nearly ripped his head off. Gilderoy Lockhart had taken one look at him and handed him a skin care lotion that had been hidden in his man purse! Yes, a man purse. The baboon carried a satchel with him full of beauty products for emergencies.

If Harry was alive he would have bashed his head into a wall when the man opened his mouth to gloat about his accomplishments. He was a fraud. The man barely new up from down.

Dark ideas about what he could do to the man came to mind and Harry stood up quickly. He moved swiftly through the ceiling, wanting to find Peeves. A cackle escaped his lips as another idea on how to torture the dud came to mind, and portraits around him watched him warily as he ghosted past.

With a dark smirk upon his face he went in search of everyone's least favorite poltergeist.

* * *

Sirius Black sat in a darkened room in a squishy chair. The man was skin and bones wearing nothing more than thin hospital robes. The man didn't move, didn't speak, and had no life in his once bright eyes. Nearly catatonic with sorrow and loss he stared blankly out the window.

_They're dead_, was the only thought that echoed in his eerily empty mind. _They're dead_.

His heart clenched painfully and a low keen escaped his cracked lips. _Remus isn't_, a voice reminded him dutifully. No, Remus was still alive. He had heard a healer ask if he wished to see his old friend from school, but Sirius had been too far deep in his grief to acknowledge her presence, and when Remus had entered the room Sirius felt nothing but the ache in his chest.

Azkaban. Azkaban was the reason he couldn't see past his grief. Azkaban was the reason the healers were starting to lose hope of his recovery when he did not answer to his name. He had been barely coherent when he first heard a healer wonder aloud if he would be able to handle Harry's death, too.

For the millionth time sense those words had sunk their death rattled through his mind. The dementors had taken a lot, but his animagus form kept the worst at bay. The man he was now was just a shell of what he once was. But Sirius Black was not insane. No, far from it. He was just broken; broken by the deaths of his brother and sister, broken by the dementors, and the betrayal of Peter. But that wasn't all. He had taken off after the rat, and his godson had been killed because he hadn't been there to raise him like he had promised.

Prongs Jr. was dead. He had failed Lily and James.

_They're dead_.

* * *

Hee hee, I'm so doom and gloom aren't I? Yes well, here is what Apophis means:

APOPHIS: Greek form of Egyptian Apep, possibly meaning "to slither." In mythology, Apep is the personification of evil, seen as a giant snake, serpent or dragon. Known as the Serpent of the Nile or Evil Lizard, he was an enemy of the sun god.

Thanks again to Aealket for the name and definition!

Thanks for reading (and reviewing to the good people who do). *glares at those who click the red x without making a comment*

**You know the drill. **


	23. Chapter 23 Sobs and Cackles

Diary Riddle is a completely different being. He has the Dark Lord's memories up until the killing curse backfired.

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Chapter 23

Another school year started at Hogwarts, and with it came the sounds of happy children and childish squabbles. Ruckus was caused by all and Ron Weasley lost 20 points and earned a week of detention for cursing Draco Malfoy for calling Dean Tomas a mudblood. The Malfoy heir spent hours in the infirmary belching slugs until the spell wore off. Still looking quite green the boy spent the remainder of the week sulking.

Many people (mostly boys) spent a great deal of the time scorning the new teacher, while the girls drooled in appreciation. Lockheart was an item of many fantasies, until he opened his mouth. The Ravenclaws had started an anti-Lockheart club after the first lesson. But many were too dazzled to even think of doing such a thing.

So the Weasley twins decided to fix that.

With the help of Harry and Peeves they set many traps for the Blond-Who-Gives-Blonds-A-Bad-Name. The professor often found his portraits distorted in some way. Though after having a large one run through the school in pink poke-a-dotted boxers, they no longer removed clothes from the paintings. It wouldn't do for the boys and staff to be mentally scarred for the rest of their lives. Of course the girls thought of it as the highlight of the week.

_Maybe this year will be somewhat quite_, was the wishful thinking of many. The last few years had been busy and now many craved a calm year, but with the Weasley twins it is unlikely. During the first few days first years settled into the castle with only the occasional mishap. Collin, a first year Gryffindor was often caught being yelled at by Snape for excessive movement.

Harry watched over Luna as she was sorted to Ravenclaw. He even sat with her at meals. Many had approached her over the week with less than good intensions. Young Slytherins had at first thought of her as easy prey. She was small for her age with large glazed eyes that were always unfocused.

Harry had dealt with them.

Some still tried to steal her belongings.

Harry always tracked them down.

Now many avoided the girl like the plague. All but Hermione, Neville, and a girl named Ginny shunned the blond.

They were good friends and the ghost watched them engage the lone Ravenclaw in conversations. They were good for her, but try as he might he couldn't throw off a bad feeling that had crept into his gut when he was near the Weasley girl. The boy made a mental note to watch her closely.

* * *

Tom Riddle looked out over the castle grounds through the eyes of his host. It was almost time to make his move. He wasn't quite strong enough to control the Gryffindor for very long yet but it was an improvement to what it had been. He had been dead bored bidding his time on that shelf in Malfoy manor. At least it hadn't been dusty. But Malfoys don't tolerate dust in their realm.

A soft growl rumbles in his teenaged chest and the Dark Lord paces in a deserted classroom.

He was Lord Voldemort the greatest warlock to ever walk the Earth. Even the great Albus Dumbledore hadn't dared to duel him to the death. A cackle escaped his lips at the thought of what the girl had told him about Harry Potter. The brat was dead. He hadn't taken the chance to look at the child with his own eyes, but he had heard quite a bit about the ghastly ghost boy that haunted the school.

The boy was small, barely old enough for primary school, and he had died by the hands of his uncle. The boy was more like him than he had thought. Both of them were raised by disgusting muggles that had no idea what they were dealing with. The muggles had gotten away with their mistreatment for years until justice was served. In the boy's case the government stepped in, but in Tom Riddle's case his wand dealt out the long painful punishments his caretakers and tormenters earned.

But none of that mattered. The boy was no longer in his way, and he could open the Chamber of Secrets and make his reentrance into the world with a bang.

A smirk snaked up onto the girl's features too sinister to be of her own accord, and with a half mad cackle the girl regained control of her body and mind once more; looking around the disserted classroom in confusion she shuffled out of the room.

* * *

Sirius Black hobbled in a daze next to Remus, they were going to see Harry. To tell him who they were. The once bubbly baby boy that brought smiles to everybody's faces haunted the school he considered his first home. Guilt seared through him at the thought of the happy family he visited almost every day.

Stepping through the floo to Dumbledore's office they were greeted by the old wizard and his Phoenix. A soft mournful trill filled the air and his heart clenched again.

_Harry_, he thought with single minded concentration. Nodding to the Headmaster he walked out the door leaving Remus to apologize for his behavior. Albus waved them off with no twinkle in his eyes as he gazed at the door the ex-prisoner had limped through.

Moving swiftly and only stopping once to ask Nearly Headless Nick for directions Sirius tracked down his godson. He was in a tower.

Sirius' breath caught in his throat and Remus stoped dead in his tracks at the back that is turned to them. Thick strips of skin seem to hang by threads off the small emaciated body. Bones protrude at odd angles and Remus vomits on Sirius' shoes. A small thump follows as Sirius drops to his knees, as the boy turns to face them, landing in the mess Remus created.

"Who are you?" the voice rings through the room. Harry's voice is emotionless. What should be a childlike voice is more serious than Sirius has ever sounded. Haunted silver eyes probe them wearily, as if waiting for their scorn.

Sobs rack Sirius' body and low keens seep through his lips. Harry watches them through fathomless eyes before slowly backing away. With a final look he turns on his heal and fazes through the door. Leaving the image of his scarred and broken body imprinted into their minds.

* * *

I'm so sorry that I didn't update, I was camping…. I might not be able to update again soon because Breaking Dawn is coming out! Yay! And I have band stuff going on….

Hope you liked it.

**Please Review!**


	24. Chapter 24 The Opening

Dear Santa, can you please give me ownership of Harry Potter? We'll have to wait and see if he grants my wish, but for now I don't own anything.

* * *

Chapter 24

Harry was hiding in a wall. He sat in a snake statue with his eyes peering out of the snake's emerald ones. A young girl was in the chamber. But she wasn't herself; something sinister was controlling her mind and body. A dark mass was covering her magical core. So thick was the black fog that Harry had to strain his eyes to recognize her.

It was Ginny. One of Luna's friends. She clutched a worn diary in her hand as red eyes stared intently at the mouth of Salazar Slytherin. She opened her mouth and hissed in a voice far too deep to be her own, "_Speak to me Salazar Slytherin greatest of Hogwarts' four_."

Harry watched in shock as the mouth of the statue opened up and Apophis slithered out with confusion in his deadly eyes. He came to a stop before the red haired child and bowed deeply. "_It has been a long time Tom Riddle_."

"_Yes, it has_," the man child hissed.

Harry watched silently as the Dark Lord commanded the noble serpent to kill the muggle borns of the school. Anger rippled through him when he saw the fear in the snake's eyes.

He needed a plan.

* * *

Luna stood in her common room surrounded on all sides. She didn't appear concerned though. In fact she was in the middle of explaining the delicate way in which one should search under their beds for sock stealing gnomes. They were Norwegian Gnomes that only took left socks. The expressions on the faces around her varied from incredulous disbelief to scathing.

Ravenclaws didn't make things up.

The third year boys glanced at each other before drawing their wands. Luna watched detached as they brought them to eye level.

"_Pustula_!" a nasally boy cried, shooting a neon purple curse at her.

"_Perturbo_!"

"_Impulsio_!"

The spells shot right at her at a shocking speed and she cringed in fear as they raced towards her.

Only for them to hit nothing. They boys looked around in confusion for the missing first year. She had disappeared. The curses collided with the far wall and all eyes turned to look at them with disapproval. It was moments later that they all took a step back in fear.

A ghost child stood where the blond had.

The ghost of Harry Potter glowered at them all with pure hatred in his dead eyes. In that moment he was more frightening than Severus Snape.

A small dark smirk curled the child's lips, "Why don't you try to intimidate me."

They fled.

* * *

Apophis slithered through the pipes Halloween evening, determination filled him at the thought of what he had to do.

He and Harry had spent hours through the night coming up with a reasonable and believable plan to fool the young Tom Riddle. It had been quite frustrating for the wise snake, but alas they had found a way.

A basilisk's eyes could kill. Yes, but they had to have direct eye contact to kill. Anything less would petrify. So that is what he would do. He would defy and no one would be the wiser.

The sound of his first target attracted his attention and he slithered in for the "kill".

* * *

A crowd stood around in shocked silence before whispers whipped through them like wild fire. The school caretaker rounded the corner only to stop with a shriek of rage and fear.

His cat hung stiffly from a torch, with blood forming words on the stone wall. _The Chamber of Secrets has been opened enemies of the heir . . . beware_.

* * *

Sirius Black and Remus Lupin sat in the Black family home on their third shot of Firewhiskey. It was the 11 anniversary. Lilly and James had died on this day at the hands of a madman, and then not five years later Harry had died as well.

Sirius downed another shot before laying his head down on the table, and a soft sob escaped his lips. It was his fault. If he hadn't made Peter the secret keeper than they wouldn't have died; Harry wouldn't have been tormented by his uncle. Remus didn't blame him for their deaths. Nobody did. No one besides himself.

When Sirius was in Azkaban he had only been able to think straight in dog form, but now that he was out he could fully see the scope of what he had done. And it nearly killed him. The only reason he hadn't killed himself was because it would kill Remus, too.

Seeing Harry in the condition that monster of a muggle had left him was almost too much. And every fiber of his being wanted nothing more than to raid Azkaban and slaughter the bastard. Remus was right with him. The man had harmed their cub and deserved to live in agony for the rest of his life.

Though the mental image of the man in a cell eating the slop they served was quite satisfying. He and his wife _were_ in hell. Azkaban was a horrible torture that few would wish it upon.

Vernon Dursley was one of those few.

* * *

Albus Dumbledore stood over the prone form of Horace Slughorn. The retired man sat hunched and shaking as the Headmaster sorted through his memories in the gentlest way he could. Unfortunately Legilimency wasn't meant to be gentle.

He had tried to get the man to just reveal what he was hiding, but Horace was far too stubborn. This was life or death information and if Dumbledore's fears were proven correct he had a long road ahead of him. He shifted through the man's head until he came past a locked safe in the man's thoughts. _This could be it_, he thought before blasting it open.

An hour later Albus Dumbledore resurfaced from Horace Slughorn's mind a changed man, and he had only one coherent thought.

_Seven._

* * *

I'm so sorry I haven't updated sooner. I've been really busy. Ok so a lot has happened in this chapter and I hope you liked it.

I make up a lot of my spells translating English into Latin.

Pustula means to pimple or blister.

Perturbo means to confuse.

Impulsio means to hit or jostle.

Thank you to all that review and I hope more of you do. It doesn't take that long and you don't have to be a member. . .

I would also like to thank those who stick with this story your support has been amazing.

**Please Review!**


	25. Chapter 25 Biting Back

Chapter 25

Attacks were becoming far more frequent. Harry wasn't concerned though. There were no flaws so far with Apophis' performance. Children had been petrified and terror was quickly spreading through the school. No one had been killed by the 60 foot snake. But one man was seriously making Harry rethink his order to not kill anyone.

Gilderoy Lockhart.

The man drove Harry crazy. One would think that the way Harry treated the man would stop Lockhart from trying to speak with him. Apparently Harry would benefit from privet lessons in self defense from the pink baboon. Harry was a ghost. Yes, he was a strange one, and he could do some very strange things, but he was still a ghost.

Later that day the twins were caught after transforming Lockhart's clothes into miniskirts and frilly dresses. Many had nightmares for quite some time.

_Why is it that every time the twins helped prank Lockhart students were mentally scarred for life_? This thought made Harry pause before he shrugged. It was worth it.

Harry was walking through the halls of Hogwarts with Luna. They were on their way to Potions. Harry knew Snape would never harm a student; he just couldn't leave Luna alone. The bullies were waiting in the shadows for the right moment to pounce on her once he was out of sight.

Draco sneered at him as they walked by. Seeing the boy reminded Harry of the day the blond had gotten the guts to speak to the frightening ghost child. The poor boy was too much like Dudley for his own good. Malfoy carried himself with an air of self-importance. As if the people around him should feel privileged to breathe the same air as him. He wore clothes that obviously coast a fortune and held his father in too high esteem.

The boy had approached him with his chin lifted and two bodyguards at his flanks. _This should be interesting_, was Harry's train of thought as they approached him in the Great Hall.

-_Flashback_-

Harry and Luna were given a wide berth at the Ravenclaw. They sat happily debating on whether or not Dumbledore was the bastard son of Santa Clause. If the people around them hadn't been so wary of Harry in their midst they might of chuckled at some of the theories being thrown around.

They're lovely debate was rudely interrupted by the sound of a person coughing to get their attention. When Harry made to ignore the boy in the near silent hall the boy coughed again but with more force.

Turning quickly Harry glared mockingly at the young Slytherin. "Need a cough drop, kid?" he asked in a silky voice. Those who had already tried to bully Luna flinched. That was not a good tone, but few pitied what would happen to the blond. No, in fact many leaned forward watching the scene with wide eager eyes.

The blond flushed.

"The name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy," he said in a haughty tone. The boy waited for a response. He was to be disappointed.

"Never heard of him," Harry said dismissively.

Harry watched in amusement as the boy started what was sure to be a long winded rant about being a Malfoy, but Harry stopped him with a raised transparent hand. "Nor do I care." The ghost held back a snicker as the blond started to turn a Weasley shade of red.

Unfortunately those around him had no such control. Snorts of laughter filled the hall and the Slytherin didn't handle it all that well. Draco whipped out his wand in a flash, "_Serpensortia_!"

A large poisonous king cobra sprouted from its tip. A very angry king cobra. Harry could have laughed. Really this was just too good to be true.

Moving quickly he waved his hands, making everything slide away from the four boys. Up at the teacher's table a pensive Dumbledore watched in fascination at the scene before him. Teachers stood on their feet as the cobra rose eye level with the ghost. But a wave of the Headmaster's hand stilled their intervention. This was Harry's fight. Not theirs.

"One would think that a Slytherin would be more inventive in a duel," Harry drawled. "Oh well, I'll have to teach you." Striding forward Harry approached the irate snake.

The student body watched in shock as smooth dark hisses escaped the child's ghostly lips. The snake cocked its head to the side for a brief moment before hissing something back ominously. A dark smirk curled the boy's features before the snake looped around the boy's ankles. Seeming to rub against the body that only appeared to be there.

Dead silence filled the hall and a few shook with fear. A look at Malfoy's face showed pure terror. "Dossse thisss sscare you Draco," Harry hissed, a gleam in his silver eyes. The snake slowly slithered forward as Harry spoke and slowly wrapped around the blonds legs.

The boy's body guards tried to fire spells at the large snake, but conjured snakes couldn't be hurt by regular spells. Very few knew they had to be burned, and those who did were too busy watching the altercation in front of them to help. Another wave of his hands and the two large Slytherins were hanging by the hem of their robes above heads in the Great Hall.

A squeak from Draco appeared to be his only response and with a hiss Harry motioned for the snake to coil higher up on the blond. The boy now trembled in fear and soon fell to his knees when his legs feel out. For several long moments Harry spoke softly to the enraged serpent while the second year trembled at Harry's height.

"You are not very smart are you Draco Malfoy?" Harry asked as he slowly circled around the boy. "You think that your father's name can get you anything in life, and you believe that you deserve better than those you see as lesser beings." Harry came to a stop.

"You are wrong." For a moment fury over road fear in the blonds' eyes. "When you mess with those you underestimate Draco you will always pay the price," at these words the snake lifted its head closer to the blonds' neck.

"We are almost done here, but there is something I wish for you to remember young Draco," the snake poised. "Snakes. Always. Bite. Back." Each word was punctuated with the cobra sinking his fangs into different parts of the now screaming child.

Harry turned on his heal, offered his arm to a waiting Luna, and walked with her through the (closed) Great Hall's doors.

-_End Flashback_-

* * *

Mw ha ha ha ha! I've always wanted Harry to say that! My life is complete….

I didn't even mean to write this. It just came to me in Science…maybe I should pay better attention because I failed the test…by one question. It's just unfair. Like I really need to know what type of bond a paper clip shows when you bend it….

But you know what would make me happy?

**Answer: one may give happiness to a writer by writing nice comments in the convenient box bellow. (See box below…you know you want to)**


	26. Chapter 26 Monkeying Around

Chapter 26

Albus Dumbledore stood in a dingy cell in Azkaban. Morfin Gaunt was a trembling wreck in a far corner. At first glance one would assume it was nothing more than a pile of rags, but under the prison garb and tattered blanket huddled against the filthy stone floor was a skeletal person. Dumbledore's wand produced a large phoenix _patronus_ that soared around the small room emitting a warm glow that kept the madness at bay for the time being.

With no twinkle in his blue eyes the Headmaster raised his wand and spoke in a powerful voice, "_Legilimens."_

Blue eyes met black.

Within moments Dumbledore was thrown into the broken thoughts of the Dark Lord's uncle. Disjointed thoughts floated around him as he stood on the plain of Morfin's mind. Trying not to hurt the insane man more than necessary Dumbledore started the painstaking process of shifting through the man's head.

Bits and pieces of memories, both good and bad, drifted in the fog that had become his mind. After passing years of memories Dumbledore finally came across a memory that had a black tendril of magic distorting the image. Nodding in satisfaction Dumbledore plunged into the manipulated memory, and searched for the opening to the real memory.

-_Memory_-

As if in a pensieve Albus watched from mere feet away as a man in rags whispered drunkenly to a small gardener snake with a dagger in his hand. A knock at the door interrupted his solo. Flinging the door open Morfin's eyes widened before a savage snarl formed on his haggard face, eyes glued on the person at the door.

Tom Marvolo Riddle stood with a disgusted look on his handsome face as he gazed upon his last living magical relative. Morfin looked ready to kill until the boy spoke in the ancient language of the snake.

With a smirk on his face Tom raised his wand. Morfin's world dissolved into darkness. He woke only to confess to a murder he didn't commit.

His family ring was gone.

-_End Memory_-

With something close to pity in his eyes Dumbledore gazed at the trembling man in front of him. The man didn't disserve this cell even if he was a poor excuse of a human being. With deep sadness in his eyes Albus put the man out of his misery.

"_Avada Kedavra_."

* * *

Three heads popped around a stone corner before disappearing. A cold smirk covered the bottom one's face while the red heads' had identical mischievous grins on their freckled faces. Moving swiftly they quietly tickled the pear that sat in a fruit bowl on the portrait hiding the kitchen. Stepping through, they were greeted by dozens of enthusiastic house elves almost smothering them with pleas for more work.

Raising a callused hand Fred said, "Well hello-"

"-little house elves of Hogwarts."

"We have a job-"

"-only a house elf could do."

Getting slightly exasperated at the twins for their annoying speech patterns Harry stepped forward and took over the conversation. "We wish to play a school wide prank. It's harmless," he said while George unshrunk and handed over small box of glass vials. "Can you place a drop of these potions into every dessert? They are labeled by house or the person's name."

The elves didn't look convinced and the trio spent a great deal of time trying to convince them. In the end they (the twins) each demonstrated what would happen to those who drank the liquid.

Hogwarts was screwed.

* * *

Sirius Black sat up at the teacher's table with Remus while the students ate. He wasn't that hungry though, and after several attempts Remus gave up trying to make him eat something. They had been invited to spend the day at the school after a check up from Madam Pomfrey.

So Sirius sat beside Remus and watched the ghost boy talk quietly to a blond first year. Every so often the boy's eyes would flash to the Gryffindor table before settling back onto the girl by his side. Harry hid it well by a trained eye could see the anticipation in his silvery eyes. Something was going on.

But it wasn't until dessert came that something happened. Popping noises rang through the hall and people started to change. Shocked cries sounded from students as they looked at each other.

They were animals.

Looking around Sirius couldn't help the chuckles that escaped him, and as he laughed the cackling sounds of the monkey he had become drew the attention of the staff and students. Snape was a bat.

Sirius wasn't the only one laughing at this point. Roars of animal laughter spread through the hall as children gazed at their Headmaster. A goat sat in his chair happily munching on the table cloth.

Only the Slytherins didn't laugh. Two gorillas sat on either side of a mortified ferret; while the rest of the table was filled with different types of snakes hissing their displeasure at being changed into animals. The Ravenclaws were mostly ravens but a few had been changed as well. Luna had become a small blue, green, and purple humming bird; while several bullies from the upper years had been changed into toads.

In Hufflepuff most were their mascot while random animals sprouted from all over the table. Cedric Diggory sat stunned in the form of a werewolf as his house dissolved into chuckles at their friends' ridiculous appearances. There were quite a few changes to the Gryffindor table. Siamese cats (the twins) purred happily as they walked on the table, and Ron the piggy squeaked in disgust and embarrassment at his predicament. Hermione glared from the behind the eyes of a barn owl at her class mates foolishness; while Neville roared happily as a lion as he chased Ron under the table.

Only Sirius saw the small glint of glee that flashed through his godson's eyes, and with a smile he laughed for the first time since returning from Azkaban.

_Maybe not all is yet lost_, and with that thought for the first time Sirius Black felt hope.

* * *

So sorry that it took me so long to update I've had a lot of family over for thanksgiving. I hope you liked the prank.

Ok I'm going to explain some things about Harry's existence because I don't know if it will ever truly be explained in the story. Harry is not a real ghost. The piece of the Dark Lord's soul inside of him ties him the Earth making him somewhat magical. Harry cannot die while the Dark Lord Lives.

Thanks for reading . . . and reviewing. Please.

**Pretty please with a cherry on top.**


	27. Chapter 27 The Heir's Escape

Chapter 27

Harry had had enough. The heir had to be stopped, and Harry was the only one who could do it without being attacked by a 60 foot snake. He slipped into the chamber while everyone was in class and decided to lay in wait for the possessed girl to make an appearance.

Harry had watched a large tendril of dark magic slowly starting to suck away at her magical core for the last few weeks. It was only a matter of time until the poor girl was completely drained of her magic, and most likely her life. Now was the best time to act. Everyone had lunch at this time and would be protected by the staff if anything were to go wrong.

He sat with Apophis behind the statue of Salazar Slytherin talking about unimportant thing while he waited for Tom. The ghost child didn't really have a plan. What did he know about dark spirits? Sure he had studied them in the library, but the thing in Ginny Weasley was a completely different kind of spirit. In some ways it was like him; strong, powerful, and able to do magic consciously. It repulsed him slightly that he could be compared to that thing.

The sound of soft footsteps drew him from his pity party. It was almost time.

* * *

The Dark Lord was not happy. No one had been killed by his basilisk and he was tired of waiting. Tonight the snake would kill someone or he would do it himself.

He had long since grown tired of the girl's body and he yearned for his own. He walked quietly down into the chamber eager to kill mudbloods, and regain the glory that came with his name.

* * *

Harry Potter watched as the boy that would grow to kill his parents and destroy his life possessed a girl his Luna counted as a friend. She stalked with a malevolent air about her as she observed the chamber with glowing crimson eyes with a wicked cunning in their depths. Moving into the shadows he observed as Riddle called Apophis in his usual manner.

The snake didn't come.

A smirk curled his lips as the conceited boy tried several more times before building his way up to what Harry identified as a tantrum. Dudley had those quite often. With a grace known only to the dead Harry stepped into the spirit's line of sight. "_I do believe you are going to have to try something else_," he hissed mockingly.

Red eyes whipped around to meet silver.

"_Harry Potter_," a boyish voice sneered back. "_I believe that I haven't formally intro-_" His words were cut off by the grating sounds of stone moving on stone. _About time_, he thought as the basilisk slid behind the ghost child who seemed to not notice.

But something wasn't quite right. The snake was awaiting orders but not from him. From the boy. Apophis looked expectantly at the ghost child while he seemed to ignore the red head before him.

Tom Riddle saw red.

* * *

A steady roar of noise filled the Great Hall as students and professors alike ate dinner and chatted with those near them. Though, the nice meal did little to abate the tense atmosphere, it did lift the spirits of some of the children (Ron). For the teachers the tables seemed like they were empty. Too many children were gone. Left stiff as stone in the Hogwarts infirmary.

The talk of the heir and their monster was only interrupted when a strong rumble shook the castle.

Shrieks and cries of terror filled the air as the trembles became more and more frequent and things started to tip over. Standing up the Headmaster swiftly sealed the hall doors before magically freezing every piece of furniture and cutlery, and he simultaneously banishing the food back to the kitchen. Placing his wand to his throat he magically enhanced it to make it louder causing many people to jump when his voice reverberated around the room. "SILENCE! Now I ask you to sit and calm down. We will wait for whatever that is shaking the castle to stop before a few professors and I investigate. But for the time being why don't we occupy ourselves with a few jokes? I heard a lovely one just the other day."

* * *

The red haired girl trembled in fear and exhaustion as she watched two dead people fight in a large stone chamber. She didn't remember how she ended up there but at the moment it didn't matter. She was to afraid to do more than huddle between two snake statues as things were thrown by each boy. Tom Riddle looked pretty solid to her and when he was knocked back by a large chunk of stone one could hear it collide. Yep, he was solid.

Her eyes flickered to the boy fighting him. Harry Potter stood with his hands raised above his head 30 feet away from the handsome boy she had spoken to over the last few months. _This can't be real_, she thought with dread in her stomach. Slowly, as to not garner their attention, she pinched herself. _Damn_.

She shrieked when the water behind the boy seemed to defy gravity and lifted into a large sphere above him. With a roar of rage he flung it at the Slytherin, who had just clambered to his feet, and was thrown back into the wall by the force of the water hitting his body.

Cold, wet, and pissed the demented child stood once more before trying to fling different wandless hexes at the ghost. Nothing hit him. Ugly marks married the wall behind him but he himself was untouched. What could hurt a ghost?

Under her bum the ground trembled with powerful shudders, and sobs made their way out of her chest as the two dueled. As she watched a large snake tried to strike Tom with its long fangs, with a flash she imagined what it would be like to be at the receiving end of its bite, and with that mental image the sobs racked her whole body once more.

There was a loud shattering sound before many stone statues were broken into shards and flew like daggers at Tom Riddle. It didn't hit its target. At the last moment Tom jumped to the side and left the rocks to hit the thing that was behind him. She watched horrified as the basilisk roared in pain as the rocks pierced its face. Blood oozed from its eyes and in its pain it rammed its head against a hard stone wall.

The serpent slumped to the ground as a single fang was knocked from its mouth. She crawled further away from the enraged ghost as he retaliated for the injuries caused to his fanged friend.

Something close to her made a soft thud and looking down she saw the small diary. Scooping it up and stumbling she sprinted to the unconscious snake lying on the cold floor. Lifting up the large bloody fang in her wand hand she smashed it into the diary.

Nothing happened. It was too late. Tom had already separated himself from the worn book.

For a moment brown eyes met the smug red, and with a mocking bow Tom Riddle disappeared from Hogwarts' grounds.

* * *

Mwhahahaha! So much fun but so hard to write.

Sorry for grammar or spelling errors I didn't catch. I try my best but it's quite hard for someone who hasn't learned all the rues yet to make it as perfect as it should be. But I still think it's pretty good considering I used to be in special reading classes because I was horrible and hated reading and writing.

Ha now it's the only thing I do. Sorry I haven't updated I'm in three school bands and then a church one as well. On top of that I have tons of studying to do while trying to keep my 4.0. I try to find time to type as much as I can, but I can barely type 29 words a minute…

Anyway hope you liked it. It was nice and dramatic J

**PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE! REVIEW! **


	28. Chapter 28 Darkness Descending

Chapter 28

Silence surrounded them after the abrupt departure of Tom Riddle. A small red headed girl sat with silent tears trailing down her freckled cheeks, a basilisk lay still on the ground dripping blood from its face, and a small boy who looked no older than four crouched near the head of the great snake observing the damage.

Apophis was out cold and Harry had no idea how to heal him. The snake was losing great amounts of blood from the dagger like rocks that had imbedded themselves into its eyes and scales, and he most likely had some type of head injury. Harry would need someone else's help and soon. The small boy with haunted eyes looked over at the girl that disrupted his fight with the Dark Lord. She still held the diary and fang in trembling hands.

With a long suffering sigh he made his way to the girl only to draw up short when she flinched at his closeness. Moving swiftly he grabbed her gently by the arm and pulled her towards his scaled friend. She shook, whether from fear or exhaustion he didn't know, as he placed a small hand on the snake's neck.

Relying fully now on his normal ghostly strength Harry lifted them all up and fazed through the group through the walls. Not wanting to come up through the Black Lake Harry transported the trio to the infirmary.

A vicious smirk curled his lips at the look on Madam Pomfrey's face that would no doubt great them.

* * *

Unease filled the Great Hall as the trembles stopped and an unnatural tension filled the air. The joke telling session had long been over and now fear had regained its hold on those in the castle. Chairs had been overturned and first years were being comforted by their Head of House. Dumbledore stood as a frantic pounding on the large doors drew everyone's attention. Wearily unsealing the doors the Headmaster opened them to reveal a very flustered nurse. She practically sprinted into the hall before slamming the doors behind her.

She stood breathing deeply for several long moments before turning to the bewildered staff and said in a strangely calm voice, "There is a 60 foot snake in my hospital."

* * *

Harry paced back and forth waiting for the school healer to return from her mad dash. Someone would come and they would heal the basilisk. Sighing softly he turned back to the Weasley girl. She had most likely gone into shock and he had no idea on how to help her. She sat on the white bed he had deposited her in and hadn't moved since.

Restarting his pacing Harry replayed the fight in his mind. What Tom did should have been impossible. How could one leave a memory of them self in a book to possess a little girl? It couldn't be a common thing otherwise all dark wizards would have done it. No, this was a rare piece of magic that the Dark Lord used and Harry would find out how he did it.

Just as he reached this conclusion the hospital wing doors burst open and in charged a great number of the Hogwarts staff. Harry couldn't help it. He burst out laughing at the idiotic blind folds they had placed over their eyes to "protect" them from the basilisk. Heads turned towards him and wands were raised.

Holding his hands in the air he casually flicked off their blind folds. Cries of fear and surprise greeted his actions and if the situation hadn't been so dire he would have laughed again at their expressions when they caught sight of the ancient green snake lying unconscious in the middle of the infirmary floor. Moving swiftly he stood up and stepped in front of the massive beast and said, "The basilisk was not the one responsible for the attacks. He was harmed trying to fight off the heir and I would greatly appreciate it if you were to be so kind and heal him." His words seemed to snap a few out of a daze and with trembling hands they approached the large snake.

While Hagrid was called in to look at Apophis' wounds, Ginny was given a brief examination and a sleeping draft. For the next half an hour Harry watched as rock shards were removed and cuts were cleaned. There would be some scaring, and until the snake woke they had no idea if he would still be able to see. Guilt clenched Harry's gut as he looked at the "monster". It was his fault his friend would most likely be blind for the rest of his life; his fault that its life would never be the same. It might never be able to kill with its gaze again. He stepped closer and rested a ghostly hand on its bloodied brow.

He sat through the night just running his hands over the snake's new scars.

* * *

A Horcrux. A Horcrux had been smuggled into his school and placed in the innocent hands of a child. The child had no idea that it had harbored the darkest wizards of all time yet, but she would soon. He had found the diary in her pale hand as they examined her. It was covered with venom and he had made sure there were no cuts on her hand in which the venom could seep into before gently taking the dark magical artifact.

He had spoken to Harry who had a relayed the events inside the chaber, and the way the Horcrux acted was most unusual. They weren't supposed to be that powerful. Usually a Horcrux fed off of the witch or wizard it inhabited for a great deal of time before solidifying and "coming back to life". Which then the real wizard that was a bodiless soul at the moment would then perform a ritual on, change the body to their liking, and take control of it. This had yet to happen but the Headmaster had little doubt that it would in the near future.

But Horcruxes weren't all the same. No, this one was defiantly different from the "normal" ones that he had read about. He cast several strong spells that had no clear translation from Latin and the results were surprising. He found that a Horcrux didn't have to wait for a host to become magically powerful. Apparently they were able to draw strength from extremely powerful sources of magic. Hogwarts was one such place, and so were many Pureblood manors. If this diary had sat in one of these places for a great deal of time it was no wonder that it manifested itself so quickly.

But the thought of the other six, that were most likely still out there, manifesting themselves in places like Hogwarts scared him more than Minerva on a bad day. Sitting back he placed the diary in a locked desk drawer with wards around it.

Darkness was descending and he just hoped that the others would join the diary in the desk soon.

* * *

I hope that explained anything that needed to be explained…

Thanks for reading. I hope more people review this time. It can be quite disappointing to only get a handful of reviews for each chapter. Reviews are what keeps a writer going and the only reason I haven't stopped writing this story (like I do with every other story I try to write) is because of the people that review regularly. So I thank you for the support.

P.s. Voldemort isn't fully back yet.

Okay on with ideas. Any requests on scenes you wish to see? Encounters? Or do you have any ideas on how to retrieve the Horcruxes? Just let me know I always try to write what you want.

**Please Review**!


	29. Chapter 29 Haunting News

Chapter 29

Harry sat in the back of the potions classroom as the children around them scrambled to brew their potions correctly. The only student not running around like a chicken with their head cut off while the professor barked orders was sitting beside him working with glassy eyes. Luna worked with precise movements as she dropped ingredients in the chunky goo in her cauldron. With each new addition the color changed to the color specified in the open book beside her as Harry read off the steps.

Snape ignored them as they worked quietly together because they worked better than other pairs of students who had been paired together. They seemed to radiate peace in the silence they worked in and contentment oozed out of the usually cold ghost child. After several minutes with the sounds of fires being lit, cauldrons being dragged into place, and ingredients being fetched people settled down to begin. The sounds of knives cutting rhythmically seemed to loll many Ravenclaws into a trance like state where the only thing they could see were their potions.

Harry didn't let himself become distracted though. This class was filled with dangers and as such he always accompanied his Luna. Even though the Ravenclaws seemed to know what they were doing the Hufflepuffs were too frightened of the man teaching to make anything correctly and it usually resulted in some form of injury.

Only Luna's humming broke the silence that always filled the dungeon air.

* * *

A teenage Tom Riddle glided on a stolen broom towards a forest in search of what he was missing. A part of him was out there and he was meant to retrieve it. Once he had it he would be whole once more and he could call his followers to him again. One day soon he would finish the job he had started.

A sinister smirk curled his lips.

* * *

Deep in the forest of Albania a dark spirit felt an unfamiliar tug on his mind. Something was going to happen and soon.

* * *

An explosion rocked the classroom and those inside were covered in a bright pink goo. Luna Lovegood was sprawled on the floor after being shoved under her table by a ghost. None of the goo touched her and she watched as several of the students sporting the goo, made by a sobbing Hufflepuff, started to grow different body parts. Duck feet sprouted from a student's neck and another grew a pig's snout.

Only Harry saw the Potions Master grab his arm in pain as the Dark Mark darkened against his pale skin.

* * *

In a foggy clearing stood a handsome young man as runes lit up with magic around the spirit of the Dark Lord. Tom Riddle stood in a separate cycle as magic thrummed through the air. Together the two people who were really the same person started chanting in Latin. One voice was smooth and deep while the other was slightly rough from disuse.

As they chanted the magic in the air became thicker and the power of it killed many living creatures in the vicinity. The magic grew stronger and stronger until it exploded in a bright flash of white light.

With twin screams the Dark Lord was whole once more.

* * *

The tell tale pops of Apparition filled the air and black robed figures stepped out from between trees. They wore white masks over their faces but one could distinguish who was who easily enough. When they approached their master they dropped to the ground on their knees and crawled forward to kiss the hem of his robes.

The Dark Lord looked down on them with his new face. Red eyes remained with a snake like nose and pupils adorned his features. Soft looking black waves covered his head.

The Dark Lord has returned.

* * *

Albus Dumbledore sat silently in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place as shouts and many sobs filled the air. He had just delivered the news that he knew he would one day have to. The Dark Lord has returned and is gathering his forces for an attack. As soon as Severus' mark had stung he had called the Order together to warn them of the impending war. The Order was beyond panic and was inconsolable. There was nothing he could say that would calm them, so he sat silently and observed those around him.

After quite a long time he stood. No one noticed. He walked towards the cupboards looking for a nice drink and opened one.

It was a dingy House Elf cupboard and the Headmaster wrinkled his nose at the stench of the unoccupied cupboard. He was about to close it when a powerful wave of dark magic washed over him. There was something powerful in here that shouldn't be. Using his wand he cast notice me not charms on himself and the House Elf's bedroom. He waved his wand and shifted through the many rotten things littering the floor.

The feeling of dark magic was getting stronger and time seemed to stand still as he caught sight of a large locket sitting cradled in a small cocoon of blankets. _A Horcrux_, he thought in wonder and disgust as he gazed down on one of the artifacts he remembered seeing in a memory of an old House Elf.

With trembling fingers he lifted Slytherin's locket into the palm of his hand.

* * *

Okay sorry it took so long but I had lots of tests in school. This chapter just didn't want to be written and I started over many times. I'm starting another story soon so my updates are going to be all over the place.

Thank you for reading and those who review.

Any ideas on where Moldy Shorts should attack first? I was thinking he needed to announce his presence in some grand way unlike how he did in the books. I don't want him to hide. He's too sure of himself and proud to hide from the wizarding world for any reason.

**PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPLLLLLLLLLLL LLLLLLLLLLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE EEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSS SSSSSSSEEEEEEEEEEEEE review. **


	30. Chapter 30 Curing Wrackspurts

Chapter 30

On an early February morning a young ghost stood outside of a portrait. He didn't watch as students walked by on their way to breakfast; he only had eyes for the girl that would no doubt walk out of her father's rooms.

He didn't have to wait long. Two blonds stepped out into the hallway in matching eccentric robes. A small amused smile curled his lips as he bowed deeply to the girl. "Milady, I am here to accompany you on your voyage to find the legendary Wrackspurt."

The blond first year looked at her friend with a distant smile on her face and did a small curtsy to show her gratefulness. Weaving her arm through his ghostly one (and having to settle with her arm halfway inside of his), they walked happily down the hall with a bemused professor in their wake.

* * *

They arrived to the Great Hall to a very pleasant surprise. The children (and cat) had been revived and were once again in the land of the living. Smiles and waves greeted them and they couldn't help but return them.

For Harry this consisted of a curl of the lips and a spark in his usually empty eyes, and Luna hummed a small five note melody that made Harry's lips twitch further into a smile.

Making their way to the Ravenclaw table they were nearly run over by a giant black dog. Harry wrinkled his nose at the state of the fur; obviously the animal had just rolled around in dirt. Luna merely laughed, and once Harry identified the beast as his irate godfather, he allowed the dog to follow them to their seats.

Padfoot sat on the bench between Luna and one of her year mates as he wolfed down any and all food in sight, thoroughly disgusting all those in the vicinity and making Ron look like the pinnacle of good manners.

Harry gave a long suffering sigh before levitating the dog out of his seat. With a bark of surprise the dog landed on the floor with a thud, only to turn around and glare balefully at Harry.

"Harry, I think he's infected with wrackspurts," Luna said in an excited voice. Harry looked up at her, and nodded in a very serious way with a grim look on his face.

"Yes Milady, it seems as though he is, but what do you propose we do to rid him of the pests?" Harry's tone frightened the dog somewhat and his head snapped back and forth between the two children.

"Well, it seems to be a very severe case," Luna said thoughtfully.

Nodding slightly, he picked up a ladle that had been in some soup. "While there are many ways of getting rid of the small animals, they are unfortunately, rather unorthodox."

The black dog took off running with a strangled yelp.

* * *

An eerie silence encompassed the small town as the fog settled. People closed their shutters and locked up for the night in response to the new atmosphere that blanketed the town of Hogsmeade.

With a cackle a cloaked figure cast sparks into the air.

It had begun.

* * *

Harry crouched silently at the top of the Astronomy tower as bright red sparks flew into the air from a person's wand. A signal. It was a signal, he was sure of it.

* * *

The Headmaster sat quietly behind a large desk. Portraits pretended to sleep and a phoenix preened its feathers on a golden perch. Blue eyes focused intently on a small destroyed locket. He had watched flames lick the medal of the necklace just moments before, and the rush from destroying the dark artifact still pumped through his veins.

A bright light drew his attention away from Slytherin's locket. Standing up he made his way to the window in his office. Dumbledore watched as cloaked figures swarmed the small magical village, with a swish of his wand a blue phoenix left the room to call for help.

Calling Fawkes to him they disappeared in a column of fire.

* * *

Death Eaters cackled with glee as their prey scrambled. Screams rent the night air as all manner of dark curses and hexes whipped from people's wands. The villagers panicked as time drew on with no help from the Ministry, and helplessness was starting to set in as the Death Eaters tortured Madam Rosmerta.

Rosmerta screamed as the curse ripped through her nerves like white fire, and people began to shake in the cold as mothers hurried to the nearest floo with their children.

A large pillar of flame interrupted the screams, and with a flash of fire Albus Dumbledore landed in Hogsmeade.

* * *

The Dark Lord was always one for a grand entrance. Tom Riddle appeared in the middle of the fighting as the Order tried to drive off his men. As he appeared silence filled the square once more and only the people injured or dead remained unwillingly.

He walked forward to stand in front of the Headmaster, who was busy breaking the anti apparition wards. The old man was just finishing up, with a wave of magical energy rumbling the ground the wards were brought down. Several people disappeared with a crack, and the two wizards were left gazing at each other.

"Albus Dumbledore, it really has been too long," the Dark Lord hissed.

The Headmaster gazed at the man opposite him with a disappointed air of someone who expects only the best of someone. "Tom," the Headmaster greeted with a dip of his head, as his beard flapped in the wind.

With a cackle the Dark Lord started the duel. Flicking his wand he sent out snake like tendrils of dark mist towards the Headmaster. Dumbledore waved the mist aside with a lazy flick of his wand, while sending ropes back at the snake like man.

The ropes really posed no threat to him, and the Dark Lord transfigured them into serpents with a whispered spell. The snakes quickly turned on Albus after a hissed command from the Dark Lord.

All around them the Death Eaters and Order members held each other at wand point as the two dueled in a fiery dance with bright beams of lights rocketing across the cobble stones. Many people dove out of the way as wayward curses flew past them.

Fires ignited by wand engulfed stores and many lay on the ground unmoving. All around people hurried to exits, and searched for loved ones, as people stopped to watch the duel. Huddled under a table outside, was a small girl no older than 5 sobbing for her mother. Her mother was amongst the unmoving.

After several long minutes of powerful blows being exchanged and neither of the opponents wearying down, several more cracks of apparition were heard and ministry officials arrived on scene. Cries of shock and fear filled the air as the Dark Mark was sent up into the air.

With a mad cackle the Dark Lord disarmed the Headmaster. He turned to the shocked audience and gave a mocking bow, before vanishing with a sharp, echoing crack.

* * *

Sorry it took so long to update. It's been a horrible week.

I hope that everyone (who believes) will pray for the children lost on this horrific day. I know how I feel and I can easily say that I have never been so upset in my life.

(This may not be your beliefs but they are mine if you don't believe in God then that is your choice)

God looked after my friends and family this week. Some of my friends and maybe my grandma would be dead without him.

I live in Oregon. We had a mall shooting and I had several friends who were on their way to that mall. If they hadn't been stuck in traffic they would have been in the food court. They were five minutes away.

The next day at 1 o'clock in the morning we had to call the paramedics for my grandmother. She is on her way to a full recovery.

Today 20 children and 6 adults lost their lives.

I can't imagine what the parents of the children are going through, and I lend my support.

Sorry if the battle sucked, I was in no mood to write about death, but this was the only time I had for it.


	31. Chapter 31 Ashes

Warning: this chapter contains content that may offend some readers. This includes attempted rape and death.

Chapter 31

**You-Know-Who Returns from the Dead**

By Rita Skeeter

Last night in a terrifying display of power, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named announced his presence in Hogsmeade. Eye witnesses report the Dark Lord amidst the battle that took place just after sundown. Not much information has been released at this time, but we hope to learn more soon.

12 people are reported dead from the attack, and many more were injured in the battle of Hogsmeade. Among the dead is Aberforth Dumbledore; the little brother of the Headmaster. The names of the other victims have not been released at this time, but rumors have spread and we, the Daily Prophet, will do our best to get to the bottom of this. And let it be known that this reporter will do her hardest to find the truth.

He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named see page 2

The rise and fall of the Dark Lord see page 4

The Dumbledores see page 7

* * *

Harry walked silently through the empty halls. All the children were in class, when Harry had felt a slight tug on his mind. At first he had ignored it, but after several minutes of the pull on his mind growing stronger and more distracting, he said a quite goodbye to Luna, and left the room.

And now Harry floated down the seventh floor, being led by the mysterious force. He was headed towards a painting of someone trying to teach trolls ballet, when the tug got stronger. For several moments he could only focus on finding the thing that called to him.

As he drew nearer, a door appeared.

* * *

Luna skipped down the emptying halls on her way to dinner. Shadows lined the walls ominously, but she paid them no mind as she hummed a catchy tune.

Bare feet only stopped when a dark figure stepped into the light.

* * *

Deep in a cluttered room sat the thing that called to him. The headdress sat innocently upon a mannequin, but with a single glance Harry knew something wasn't right. Dark tendrils of magic flickered over the crown.

It was the same as the diary.

Fire in his eyes Harry levitated the cursed object and swept out of the room.

* * *

Scared eyes flitted across the hallway, looking for some escape root, as the man approached her with less than honorable intentions. His wrackspurts were dangerous.

Harry wasn't here to protect her.

* * *

A terrified cry cut through the evening air as he walked. He knew that cry. It was his Luna. With an enraged roar he tore down the halls, the crown not far behind.

What he found burned like fire in his dead heart.

Professor Lockheart had his Luna backed against a wall. She thrashed as he tried to still her movements. Their wands lay on the ground, knocked aside from the struggle. With one hand gripping her neck the teacher snaked his other to loosen his belt.

He didn't get much further before the ghost child acted.

Plowing into his side, Harry tackled the surprised man. Lockheart gasped as the air was pushed out of his lungs from the force of the impact.

As his anger grew, the air seemed to become heavier and heavier. The ground trembled and an unnatural wind swept through the deserted corridors. Luna didn't wait any longer to go get help.

"How dare you even think of touching her, you bastard!" the ghost roared with inhuman rage.

"I-I'm af-afraid I d-don't kn-ow w-what you m-mean," squeaked the fraud.

"Bull shit!" Fire sprang from the child's fingers as a large group of adults rounded the corner. They let lose cries of shock and anger as they saw their coworker, and each of them had their wands raised and a spell on their lips.

"Stupify!" cried several voices at once, but it was too late.

For a moment silver eyes flashed killing curse green.

Flames leapt onto the prone man, and with a dole roar of crackling fire, the man's skin ignited in a fiery inferno of white fire.

The man died before a scream could be pulled from his lips, and in the boy's anger the headdress burst into magnificent purple flames, before forming a small pile of ashes alongside those of the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.

* * *

Okay thanks for reading.

I need some advice for a story I hope to post after this one. I have so many plots that I can't pick one. So I've decided to let you help choose.

The story is an alternate ending to GOF. Harry is brought by the Dark Lord to Hogwarts where he is tortured and killed in front of the school.

After this event I find myself conflicted. Here are the options.

Harry is sent back in time to that night on Halloween. When he is sent to the Dursleys they take him to an orphanage where he grows up, until he runs away to the magical world. Harry is a strange mix of Voldemort and Harry (might or might not have Voldemort's memories from the connection with his soul), and is considered a genius. Harry leaves Britain and goes to Bulgaria. He only reappears for the Triwizard Tournament as a teacher from Dormstrang.

Harry is sent back in time to his parents' Hogwarts years. After being enrolled as a Hogwarts 5th year and being treated for his injuries, he is taken in by the Potters. Harry also spends a lot of time in St Mungos, because he isn't quite right in the head from the torture. Insanity ensues.

If you have any other ideas feel free to PM me, and I will try to respond as quickly as I can.

Please note that I won't be able to update until after winter break, because I will be at my dad's house, and he doesn't have internet access.


	32. Chapter 32 Discoveries

Chapter 32

Harry walked silently beside Luna, his eyes warning others to keep their distance. The ghost hadn't left the blond girl's side in the three days since Lockheart had tried to hurt her, and many thought that he never would. In the days after the Professor's death the child was exceedingly protective of the girl and short with everyone else.

Aurors had been called in and an investigation was going on to find any more of Lockheart's victims. The halls were filled with rumors on how the Defense teacher died, but no one knew the exact truth.

Several girls who had been identified all showed signs of being obliviated, the parents were in a frenzy. The Headmaster was constantly getting Howlers at every time of the day, and the Prophet just ate up any gossip they could get out of the students, and blew what they said out of proportion.

The rumors of what actually killed Lockheart were also in the paper.

And now wherever Harry went, he was followed by whispers and suspicious stares. Not that he cared, no, Luna was more important and he'd kill the bastard again if he had to. The man deserved far worse than Harry had given him, and with each new girl being discovered his conviction only grew.

* * *

Dumbledore stood quietly in the doorway of an old dusty home that hadn't been cleaned in decades. Grime covered every surface, and the smell of rotting wood filled his nose. This was the house of the Gaunts. They had lived here long ago until a boy cam e here to enact his revenge. This house had never been a proper home, though. The people who lived in this dump were unhappy and cruel.

No wonder Merope wanted to get away.

Setting his thoughts aside, he cast several magical scans on the room he was in. Dark magic flowed around the house in small streams, but they all connected with a small patch of floor. Pushing magic through his wand he swished the dark magic away and walked towards the small patch of floor.

Making small incisions with his wand he pried open a small hole in the abused wood floor. Inside lay an innocent looking box with a small silver snake slithering around its surface. _This is it_, he thought as he levitated it into the air, not daring to touch anything with his bare hands. He couldn't afford to get hurt. If he died they would lose the war, and many good people would die needlessly.

"_Manifesto Pectus_," he whispered. Gold tendrils of magic wrapped around the small box and, after a long tense moment, it started to glow a dark purple. The purple was almost black and it hung around the box like a fog.

There was a Horcrux inside, with very dark magic protecting it. Not wanting to wait another moment he burned a small fire on the tip of his wand, destroying the ring inside.

* * *

The Dark Lord stalked around the ballroom that had been converted into a throne room; his light footsteps making no noise as they hit the polished wood floor. A large snake lay coiled on the floor not too far away.

Something was wrong. There was something that had happened, but he couldn't tell what it was. He felt like part of him was missing.

* * *

A large snake sat coiled silently as a blond girl danced around the Chamber. Apophis hadn't objected to meeting Luna, and Harry had brought her down as soon as he could. Even though he could no longer see with his eyes, he knew this hatchling was different from all the rest. She had light footsteps and hummed under her breath almost constantly.

Apophis could sense her quite well. She was distant, as if she was in a far away land all the time. Luna always replied in a tone that suggested that she was distracted. And whenever he asked for translations he was supplied with names of animals he thought didn't exist.

The hatchling was odd, to say the least, but he couldn't find anything bad about it. The girl was special in her own way, and that's why the boy seemed to be so taken with her.

No, her presence was anything but bad.

* * *

Draco Malfoy hated Harry Potter. The ghost didn't know who he was dealing with obviously. The Malfoys were a prestigious family that owned half of Diagon Ally. They were some of the richest people in Britain, but the ghost didn't seem to care. All he cared about was the little blond freak that Draco used to bully. That was until Potter attacked him.

The ghost had cheated. Nothing could beat a Malfoy, and ghosts were incapable of doing what Potter was able to. What was worse, his own house mates refused to fight the ghost boy. They had seen a little bit of what he was capable of and had heard the rumors of what happened to Lockheart. They even admired the little shrimp. They thought he was weak at first, because he had been murdered by a Muggle, but they had quickly changed their minds after several shows the child has put on over the two years since his arrival. The boy was more powerful than they thought, and this was cause to be wary.

If he wanted to harm Harry Potter, he would have to look somewhere else.

* * *

Albus Dumbledore sat silently behind his large oak desk. His wand lay before him and a look of deep concern etched onto his wrinkled face.

The wand no longer worked for him. Oh it performed okay, but not as well as it should have. The wand used to cater to his every whim. Now he had to force the unwilling wand to serve him. It wasn't right, and dread filled his heart. The wand hadn't worked for him since his duel with Voldemort. It acted just like a normal wand.

The wand no longer responded to him, Tom was the master of the Elder wand. Terror clenched his gut at the thought of the Dark Lord with the wand. He couldn't allow it to happen.

Without a second thought, the old wizard picked up the wand in his wrinkled hands, and snapped it.

* * *

Sorry it took so long to update, I didn't have internet. Hope you liked this chapter. This story is getting close to an end and I'm working on my other fic.

Pectus means soul.

Manifesto means reveal.

Okay someone is going to die soon, who will it be?

**Please leave a review before pressing the red x.**


	33. Chapter 33 Easter

Chapter 33

Harry sat quietly across from Luna in the Library as she worked on her homework. She would be leaving for the Easter Holidays for a few days and wanted to get her homework done as fast as she could. Her and her father planed to buy supplies in Diagon Alley, before going on a trip it France in search of Gulping Plimpies. This year had dragged on longer than the other, though, it had been better after the Headmaster took over DADA classes. The old man knew what he was talking about, and Harry found that he quite enjoyed going to his classes. With the Headmaster teaching that class students had actually learned something, and Harry had attended for pleasure rather than to keep an eye on the professor.

The Headless Hunt had stopped by the castle late March and asked Harry to join them, though as soon as they caught sight of his scars they changed their minds. Harry would have said no anyway, he wouldn't have left Luna so that he could juggle his head.

Over the last few months, Death Eater activity skyrocketed, and the more bodies turned up, the more unease plagued the Wizarding world. But as the school year drew closer to its end, everything seemed calm.

Harry should have known that it wouldn't last for long.

* * *

**Azkaban Breakout! **

By Rita Skeeter 

We of the Daily Prophet are shocked to announce that last night, at approximately 11 o'clock, the strongest prison in the world was attacked. Azkaban Prison was raided by Death Eaters in the middle of the night, and all human guards were killed. Except one. A junior Auror was the only one left alive after the brutal attack and was taken to St. Mungos for treatment.

"They came out of nowhere, and when the dementors just stood aside, I knew we were doomed," gasped the man as healers repaired his broken ribs.

The Ministry advises all to watch out for the following people: Bellatrix Lestrange, Antonin Dolohov, Rabastan Lestrange, Rodolphus Lestrange, and a man named Mulciber. Several others also escaped, but at this time their names haven't been released to the media.

People are advised to floo the Aurors should these people be seen.

Self Defense for Your Home see page 3

Dementors see page 5

The Latest Top Hat Fashions see page 8

* * *

The people of Diagon Alley shopped happily in one of the only places yet to be attacked by Death Eaters. One stepping into the Alley wouldn't have thought that the world was at war with itself. The Alley looked as it always had; gadgets whirled and whistled in shop windows, and people ate ice cream with friends. Most were still at school, but some had gone home for the Easter Holidays. All around the Alley, children ran with their friends and gawked at the newest broom.

No one was prepared for what happened next.

Dark figures swarmed out of Knockturn Alley and descended on the oblivious citizens. Curses flew everywhere as the Death Eaters cast spells at the masses of people. Panic spread like fire and soon screams of pain and the roars of curses were the only things that could be heard.

Glass shattered as a blasting curse was thrown at shop windows, and shards of glass rained down on shoppers. Cackles sounded from behind white masks and a skull with a snake was shot up into the air.

Fire places were blocked and women and children sobbed as the fighting grew more intense. The only relief for the people was brought by portkeys arriving in the Alley, bringing Aurors. With a few more laughs and curses, the Death Eaters disparated with sharp cracks.

A deathly silence fell upon those left alive.

* * *

Xeno and Luna Lovegood skipped down Diagon Alley, looking into shops and buying whatever caught their eyes. They hummed a song that they made up on the spot, making many around them question their sanity.

Magical blasts stopped them in their tracks.

All around them screaming started, and they shrunk back as robed men filled the street. Luna cowered near her father as the men started throwing green colored spells.

That was when a woman without a mask noticed them.

Bellatrix Lestrange stood with a wicked smirk on her face as she cooed at her opponents in a babyish voice. Many around her were either dead or badly injured when she turned to face the Lovegoods.

"What do we have here?" she mock gasped. Moving swiftly she cycled them like a bird of prey would their next meal.

Pushing Luna firmly behind him, Xeno raised his wand, but he was quickly disarmed. His wand flew into the mob of fighters and was lost from sight.

"Tsk tsk tsk, you wouldn't harm a lady would you?"

"I don't count you as a lady, bitch," he snapped back with a great deal of bravery.

With fury in her eyes she screeched, "_Crucio_!" and a red beam of light shot out of her wand and connected with the man's chest. Mr. Lovegood crumpled to the ground, screaming as his body jerked under the effects of the torture curse.

"NO!" Luna screamed throwing herself at the witch. Not deterred in the least, Bellatrix grabbed the blond by the hair and released the curse.

"Aww, how sweet; a daughter willing to die herself to protect her worthless father. Very well, if you wish to die first, what kind of person would I be to deny you?" she cackled. Luna withered in pain as she her hair was pulled by bony hands.

Throwing the girl to the ground she pointed her wand at the trembling child, "_Avada Kedavra_!"

It never hit its intended target.

With a roar of complete rage, and hate, Xeno threw himself in front of his 11 year old daughter. In the silence that followed, the Aurors arrived, and Luna was left sobbing on the cobblestones.

There you have it. Chapter 33. I ask you to please review, the more reviews I get the faster I will update.

And please check out my other story, Nox. The chapters in that story are twice as long, *wags eyebrows* you know you want to.

**You Will Review! *uses Jedi powers***


	34. Chapter 34 Revenge

AN: In my story ghosts can go wherever they want if they are tied to a mortal. Harry isn't a ghost so he doesn't have to follow this rule, plus he has special powers. In other words, Harry goes where Harry wants. Ps, Harry can touch objects.

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Chapter 34

Luna sat silently beside a foggy window. It had been a day since the attack, and she hadn't been able to completely believe that her father was gone, yet. The school nurse said she was in shock, and it would pass. She didn't feel the pain yet, she was too numb.

She recalled the fear she had felt when Bellabitch, as she now called her, had grabbed her. She had thought she was going to die. She was supposed to die. Instead her father jumped in front of her, and taken the curse that had ended so many others.

He had fallen after that, dropped to the ground lifelessly, as she was left gaping down at his body. The Death Eater's had left soon after, and when the Aurors arrived she had been whisked away to Hogwarts.

Harry had been beside himself. Fury was in firmly etched onto his face, and his small hands clenched at his sides. The ghost child had a dark look in his eyes, and Luna knew he was only there to make sure she was unharmed, before running after the people who had hurt her.

Madam Pomfrey had ordered her to bed and gone to fetch her something to help her sleep. He had held her hand as she succumbed to the effects of a Dreamless Sleep potion, and stayed with her throughout most of the night.

She awoke later and sat up wide awake in the middle of the night and found note beside her.

_Luna, _

_ I'm sorry to leave you at a time like this, and I promise to return when you wake the next morning. _

_With love,_

_Harry_

She knew what he was doing. How could she not? She knew Harry had a very dark side, that he enjoyed hurting those who were a threat to her. He had killed Lockheart for that very reason. Not that he didn't deserve it.

Sighing, she ran her hand through her long blond hair. Knowing what Harry was capable of made her almost feel pity towards Voldemort's army. Almost.

* * *

Harry sat silently beside Luna's bed, watching her breath deeply. She was an orphan now.

He had been half mad when he had heard about the attack at Diagon Alley. Luna was supposed to be there. As soon as he had found out that she was in the hospital wing he wanted to rush to her, but he was on the other side of the castle. It would still take ten minutes to reach her at his fastest speed.

What happened next he had not expected. He felt a weird sensation wash through his body, as if he had ice pumping through his veins, before he disappeared without a sound. He had panicked at first. _What is happening to me? Am I finally passing over? Not right now, Luna needs me!_

He reappeared just behind Madam Pomfrey as she spoke softly to a silent Luna. One look at Luna's eyes told him everything he needed to know. Quickly scanning her to make sure she was okay, he glided to her side and sat next to her on the pristine white bed.

He was too small to place a comforting arm around her shoulders, so he settled for her waist. The two sat in silence until the nurse had told her to go to bed, and Harry tucked her in.

He watched her for hours, taking comfort in the rise and fall of her chest.

She breathed in.

She could have died today. Would have if it hadn't been for her father; he died just like his mother. They died throwing themselves in front of a deadly curse in the hopes to save their children.

She breathed out.

Luna was still alive; had a chance to go on with her life. Harry hadn't had that chance after being sentenced to the Dursleys. He had been sent to live in hell.

She breathed in.

Luna wasn't going to die. He wasn't going to let her. The Death Eaters were a threat to her life, and Harry wouldn't step aside and watch as they destroyed her life. He was going to do something.

She breathed out.

What was killing a few murders? Was it wrong to want revenge for the ones you love? He had murdered someone before. What was a few more, if it would protect his Luna?

As she breathed in he left the room the same way he came.

* * *

The chamber was silent as he landed inside the statue of Salazar Slytherin. Inside an old serpent slept coiled on the slightly bowl shaped floor.

"_Apophis my friend, I find myself in need of a few of your fangs_," the young ghost hissed, waking up the blind basilisk.

Several Death Eaters sat around Malfoy manner after a job well done. Their Lord had been pleased with their work, and they were now drinking in good spirits.

Many of those present were escapees from Azkaban who were staying with the Malfoys. They all sat on luxurious furniture, and talked over one another as the night wore on.

They didn't notice the small transparent figure hiding in the shadows.

* * *

Harry watched from a dark corner as they spoke loudly to each other, some reenacting their victims' faces and pleas as they were mercilessly slaughtered.

His hate consumed him.

Pulling upon his strength he sent a charge of pure magic through the foundation of the house. The ground shook and many things fell off of shelves, shattering on the floor, as the Death Eaters stood to attention.

Stepping out into the light, he raised his small hand in front of him, and the Death Eaters whirled around to face him. Sweeping his hand out and away he pushed many of the drunken men into the walls and armchairs. Shouts of surprise and confusion swept through the room, but Harry didn't stop to listen. Moving forward he grabbed the nearest wizard by the back of the neck and bashed his head into the hard stone wall. The man crumpled to the ground like a puppet whose strings were cut, and many took a step away from the ghost child.

Placing a magical block on the exit and making it so that no one could leave magically he set to work.

* * *

A small demon child stepped into the light as the ground shook. A few drunker people laughed as the tiny child raised his hand in the air, he waved his hand and many were thrown aside like sacks of flower, they stopped laughing.

Moving as fast as a striking snake the boy grabbed Nott's neck and bashed him into the wall. The man crumpled. Never stopping his movement the boy jabbed his right hand at a group of three Death Eaters, new recruits. They screamed as bright white fire consumed their bodies. By this point, curses flew from all sides at the boy, but nothing hit. Everything passed right through the child's body, and many tried to make a quick exit.

Only to shriek in pain as they ran into a thick barrier. Five men had lunged for the door, and were now writhing in pain from an unseen force.

A dark chuckle escaped the child's lips.

The glasses in people's hands exploded and lashed at their unmasked faces. Some were able to throw up a shield before the glass imbedded in their skin, but others weren't so lucky. Cries of rage and pain escaped those with blood dripping down their pale faces. Their cries were cut off along with their air. The child stood with his hand raised, as if he was gripping an unseen goblet. Four men and a woman slowly turned blue as their bodies screamed for more oxygen. After several long moments he released them, and they fell unmoving to the floor.

One after the other, they quickly succumbed to the boy's strength. Several pled for mercy, and others tried to use others as shields form the child's wrath.

* * *

Harry watched with dark satisfaction as his foes crumpled to the floor, never to rise. He killed them several different ways. A couple of times he flung a basilisk fang at the intended target and watched them succumb to the venom. Those who tried to leave were left thrashed on the floor until their hearts gave out from the pain.

At some point he sculpted three beautiful stone snakes out of the white stone walls, and now they strangled those unfortunate enough to be in striking distance. Spells bounced off their stone scales, and they hissed in pleasure as the men they coiled around met their ends.

The number of Death Eaters was quickly diminishing, and the few left standing cast spell after spell trying to detour him. Nothing worked, and after only seven minutes of fighting only two were left.

Bellatrix Lestrange and Lucius Malfoy.

They stood back to back as they tried to ward off the powerful magic that hit them like a wrecking ball. Harry grabbed a sharp dagger off of a fallen Death Eater and disappeared.

Lucius sighed in relief.

It was short lived however, and Bellatrix was pushed away as Harry appeared behind the blond man, and quickly brought the dagger to the man's throat. With a gurgle the corpse of Lucius Malfoy fell to the ground, his neck gaping and blood staining the white floor.

Turning slowly, Harry faced the woman he had come for. Bellatrix stood with her wand shaking in front of her, and a mad look in her eyes. She was shrieking incoherently at him, and with a smirk he slowly backed her into a corner.

The last thing Bellatrix ever saw was the cold, silver eyes of Harry Potter.

* * *

Harry looked around the room filled with bodies. Avery, Alecto and Amycus Carrow lay in the heavy coils of his snakes. Crabbe and Goyle Sr; Antonin Dolohov, Walden Macnair, and Mulciber had all died trying to escape through the door. Rodolphus and Rabastan Lestrange had long fangs protruding from their bodies, and their blood dripped softly onto the floor with everyone else's. Several more people he didn't recognize lay limp on the cold stone floor.

A total of 19 people lay motionless. No one had been spared. He watched the blood spread over the stone, and as he watched he started to chant a poem he had heard long ago.

"'_I was angry with my friend:_

_ I told my wrath, my wrath did end._

_ I was angry with my foe:_

_ I told it not, my wrath did grow._

_ And I watered it in fears,_

_ Night and morning with my tears;_

_ And I sunned it with smiles,_

_ And with soft deceitful wiles._

_ And it grew both day and night,_

_ Till it bore an apple bright._

_ And my foe beheld it shine._

_ And he knew that it was mine,_

_ And into my garden stole_

_ When the night had veiled the pole;_

_ In the morning glad I see_

_ My foe outstretched beneath the tree.'"_

* * *

**_ A Poison Tree_**

_ By William Blake_

We read that poem in Honors English yesterday. It's a poem about revenge and here's what it means:

The first verse is about expressing his feelings and getting rid of his anger at his friend. The next one is about bottling it up and it becoming more intense. His hatred becomes a seed.

By the third and fourth verses he no longer sees it as a bad thing. His hate starts to grow. The fruits of his anger start to develop, and his darkness is attractive to his foe. His foe wants it for himself.

His hate is represented by an apple tree. The trunk of his tree was ugly, it was his wrath. Only the apple was the alluring.

Waiting until it was dark (so he could only see the apple) his foe tried to steal it. The next morning he's happy to see his foe dead.

Really dark and creepy, but wonderful if you understand it.

**Please Review!**


	35. Chapter 35 A Cup

Thank you to all my wonderful reviewers! I love you guys. Sorry if I haven't updated. I had finals and my brother shattered the screen of the computer that I have all my stories on.

I don't own Harry Potter.

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Chapter 35

Draco Malfoy sat with his head bowed next to his mother in his Godfather's office. His mother's hand gripped his tightly as tears dripped off of his nose and onto his school uniform.

His father was dead, and the Malfoy name was dirtied.

Several other parents had come to collect their children after their fathers had been murdered. For that was what this had been. Cold blooded murder, and in his eyes Draco couldn't understand why someone would kill his father.

The people responsible would find themselves dead very soon. No one messed with the Malfoy name and got away with it.

* * *

Luna sat silently beside a stoically quiet Harry in the infirmary, the morning Prophet lay on her lap with its head lines blaring accusingly at her.

Harry was responsible, and she didn't really care. The people he had killed were monsters in every sense of the word. They got joy out of torturing and killing innocent people like her father. They disserved whatever Harry had given them.

With a sigh she picked up the morning paper.

**Malfoy Manor Massacre **

By Rita Skeeter

Early this morning, between three and five, Aurors were called to Malfoy Manor after a frantic fire call from Lady Malfoy herself.

The scene that greeted the Aurors was quite shocking. 19 bodies lay scattered on the stone floor of the mansion. We have little knowledge of who has killed and how, but many bodies were escaped Death Eaters and Lucius Malfoy himself.

The Ministry will continue to investigate and will find those responsible for slipping through the Malfoy wards and killing many. For even though they killed murderers they must account for their actions.

Escaped Death Eaters see page 3

Missing and Dead see page 8

Attack on Diagon Alley see page 2

* * *

The Dark Lord screamed in rage as his servants coward before him. The glass of wine in his hand exploded and clattered to the ground.

A good portion of his inner circle was dead; killed by some unknown enemy. Calling his familiar to him he summoned a number of Death Eaters and decided to vent some of his frustrations.

* * *

Sirius Black stood impatiently in front of the irritated goblin as they made him wait while they read the letter from the Ministry stating that as the last Black, Sirius had claim to Bellatrix's vault. And damn they were taking their sweet time.

After several long minutes he was lead to a cart and was sent through the labyrinth of vaults. It was a long ride. The Blacks were an old family and therefore had their money stashed deep in the old bank. Sirius relished the feeling of the wind in his hair as he prepared to clean out the dark vault.

Dumbledore had instructed him to bring any artifacts that were in any way suspicious to him as fast as he could. Sirius didn't know what the leader of the light expected him to find but he knew that the man was serious.

They stopped in front of a large vault close to where they kept a large blind dragon. Padfoot sneered in disgust at the treatment of the animal. Moving swiftly he walked into the vault that the goblin held open.

It was just filled with gold and the occasional set of armor. Shrugging Sirius cast several spells that revealed a few dark objects but nothing note worthy. Just wanting to get this over with he produced a bag and enlarged it. Tossing it to the wall he started levitating objects into it.

After several long minutes, he turned to snatch the bag off the ground when he tripped over an old set of china. Twisting his ankle painfully he fell to the ground with a muffled curse, hitting his head on a small shelf.

In his pain he didn't notice a small cup wobble on the edge of the shelf and tumble into the still open sack.

* * *

Sharp cracks filled the small muggle town and those outside turned to see what the disturbance was. Tall men in strange black robes with masks on their faces laughed hauntingly as the people took small steps back in fear.

As one the Death Eaters started firing curses at the defenseless muggles. Cries and screams rent the air and with a wicked cackle the Dark Lord joined the festivities.

* * *

I am so sorry that it took so long to update.

Sorry it's so short but the majority of this chapter that I had written was destroyed. I thank you for your patients and I hope you **review**.

**9 out of 10 doctors agree that reviewing is good for your health. **


	36. Chapter 36 Beginning of the End

Chapter 36

Lord Voldemort paced slightly in front of his throne. His mind raced with dark thoughts, and the only noise in the room was the soft rustling of cloth as he glided back and forth.

It was almost time. This war was going to come to an end, and he was going to rule the wizarding world. He loved fighting and war. Bringing death was what he does best, but after the death of most of his inner circle he wanted to end this war as soon as he could. But he would do it in the bloodiest way possible. He would strike fast and hard. He would strike the heart of the wizarding world, and where did the wizarding world keep their hearts?

Hogwarts.

* * *

Harry sat with his arms wrapped around a trembling Luna. His touch would never be as comforting as Luna deserved but at the moment he was all she had. Both her parents were dead and she was now a ward of Hogwarts. Dumbledore would be her guardian until someone else applied for the position.

It had been four days since her father had been murdered, and Luna was finally coming to understand what life would be like as an orphan. She felt terribly alone and only allowed Harry to hold her. Few of her other friends had seen her, but she would be starting school again the next day.

Harry wasn't going to leave her side.

* * *

Albus Dumbledore sat with a bag open on his desk. He had just received it from Sirius Black and so far he was sourly disappointed. There were dark objects in it, yes, but they weren't what he was looking for. So far he had found common dark objects that were banned by the Ministry. They were nothing to really worry about, just discarded objects placed in a vault when they were no longer needed.

With a sign he set the bag aflame.

He left the room just before the bag let out a piercing wail.

* * *

The Great Hall was silent as the castle wards groaned.

The night had started out normal. Children were talking about upcoming exams, and laughing with friends when a shudder rocked the school.

The Headmaster had jumped to his feet with surprising speed for someone his age, and commanded the students to be silent. Speaking swiftly to the other professors he had all the children move away from the doors, and he sent a patronus to the Ministry and the Order.

Hopefully help would arrive soon.

* * *

Harry and Luna were crouched in an alcove when Hogwarts shuddered and groaned. With a muffled curse Harry pushed Luna farther behind him.

Harry felt the wards shatter underneath a great pressure, and the front doors banged open. Panic and hatred boiled inside of the ghost child, and without a second thought Harry dove through the wall with Luna in his arms. He would take her somewhere safe. Her safety was all that mattered.

* * *

The Dark Lord cackled with glee as he snapped the wards around the ancient school. The dome like structure that was invisible to the eye fell, and with a roar his Death Eaters swarmed forward. It was time for the war to end, and he wasn't going to lose.

His familiar lay across his shoulders as he glided across the grounds towards his first home.

* * *

Luna was afraid. She had been sitting with Harry when a large group of nargles rudely interrupted. They had no business being at Hogwarts. Harry had left her in a classroom so that he could check the surrounding area for other threats. She was placed under a desk and told not move, and that he would be back soon.

She didn't want to sit here. The people in the school were the same ones from Diagon Alley. They killed good people for fun, and they wouldn't think twice about killing the students. She had to do something.

With that thought, Luna ignored Harry's order and raced out of the classroom door.

* * *

Sirius Black, along with other members of the Order, swarmed the Death Eaters like angry bees, pushing them back and out of the castle. On all sides of him, friends and enemies alike fell from each other's wands. Screams of pain and rage echoed down the halls and blood slicked the floors.

Peeves floated through the halls bombarding the Death Eaters with anything he could find, and large suits of armor sprung to life and stabbed those stupid enough to come into arms reach. The paintings either ran like chickens without heads or yelled encouragement to the side they wanted to win.

The fight was completely overwhelming and the majority of it took place on the grounds in front of the great fortress. The students had been locked into the Great Hall along most of the teachers. As Sirius dodged a killing curse he prayed that Harry was in the Great Hall with all the others.

But he doubted that he was.

* * *

Harry rushed through the Halls like a bat out of hell. Luna was missing. He had left the room for two minutes and she had left. Growling in fear and anger Harry had raced out of the door to find her. That had been five minutes ago, and with each passing second he become more hysterical in his search.

_Where is she?_

* * *

Sorry for the long wait. I've been really busy and every time I sit down to write this I get distracted. This chapter is pretty short because it's not the entire ending battle scene. That will come soon. This story is quickly coming to a close and I hope you message me about the people you want to see die (good and bad).

I'm warning you now, a lot of people are going to die. The next chapter is going to be really dark and I myself will probably cry while I'm writing it.

Please check out my story **Nox** and I hope you **review.**


	37. Chapter 37 Let the Bodies Hit the Floor

Chapter 37

Draco Malfoy peeked around the corner. He hadn't been at dinner when the wards went down. He had been in the very back of the library when the castle had shuddered, reading a very thick book about ghosts, but had immediately dropped it after the first shudder.

He wasn't frightened. Malfoys were never frightened. No he was just being cautious. Something was happening to the school that was alien to him, and he was going to find out what it was. This whole racket was more than likely caused by Potter. That damn ghost was always causing trouble. He was pulled out of his musings when a blond girl streaked past in a blur.

A smirk curled his lips, _Now what is little Looney Lovegood doing away from Pothead Potter?_

* * *

The Headmaster sighed softly as he gazed around himself on the front lawns of Hogwarts. Bodies lay everywhere. Some were just unconscious and others were beyond help.

A mad cackle caught his attention and he turned in time to see several Aurors cut down by Tom Riddle. Blue eyes zeroed in on a large snake on the Dark Lord's shoulders. _Just one more left_, and with that thought he stepped in front of the most powerful Dark Lord to haunt the wizarding world, and raised his wand.

* * *

Portraits watched as a ghost rushed through the halls and walls at break neck speeds, a look of panic on his usually emotionless face. Thoughts flashed through his mind before being discarded. He would find Luna, and then he would kill whatever low life had dared to harm her.

A girly scream made him push his ghostly legs to their limit. That had been Luna's scream.

* * *

In an unused classroom a small blond girl lay huddled behind an overturned desk as a boy shot hex after hex at her. She hadn't anticipated an attack from behind, and was left defenseless as the 12 year old boy cursed her.

Boils and a good number of cuts littered her pale frame, silent sobs of anger and fear racked her body. She was stronger than this. _I can't just lay here and take it. _ Luna's body tensed before she dove for the wand that had been blasted out of her hand, and scooped it up just as a bone breaking curse hit her left leg.

A scream was torn from her lips as her bone cracked and splintered.

* * *

Draco Malfoy laughed, with a sneer plastered on his face. He never saw a dark figure step into the room, and by the time it took for him to realize that they were not alone, it was too late.

The ghost of Harry Potter slammed his magic into blonde's body with more force than one thought a six year old capable of. The pureblood was thrown across the room and landed spread eagle on his back. Short gasps huffed out from between perfectly straight teeth as the air was forcefully pushed from his lungs.

Draco hissed in pain as his chest rose and fell with each breath. He definitely had some broken ribs. The blond watched through hooded eyes as the ghost's magic swirled like a black cloud around Lovegood. She was lifted into the air and with a bright flash, her leg was healed.

Tears still ran down her face as she got unsteadily to her feet. Harry spared her a quick glance before waving his hand at her with a murmur of "Great Hall," before she disappeared without a sound. Now that the girl was gone he turned his attention to the stunned blonde.

Draco screamed in fear as he gazed up at the small figure of the Boy-Who-Lived, his eyes, usually silver, were a deep crimson.

* * *

Albus Dumbledore wasn't one to panic, but right now he was panicking. All around him his friends and allies fell from deadly curses, and he couldn't help them. He was in the middle of a very intense duel with Tom and his attention was focused solely on the man if front of him.

They were losing, and losing badly at that. It was only a matter of time before the children were targeted, and he would do anything to keep the children of the wizarding world out of the Dark Lord's reach.

But he wasn't going to last much longer.

His magic was quickly draining. This duel was the most his magic had been strained since his duel with Grindelwald. He was tired and the edges of his vision was blurring from magical exhaustion. As the fight went on and on, he watched as the Death Eaters pushed their way into the school once more. He just prayed that the children would be safe.

* * *

Harry gazed down at the still body of Draco Malfoy. Blood leaked on the cold stone floor as the body bled out. He didn't feel any remorse. The bastard had hurt his Luna first, so he deserved whatever hell Harry sent him to. The blonde had died pleading for his pathetic life, and Harry had refused to show mercy.

A smirk curled the ghost's lips as the memory of the boy's face flashed before his eyes.

He really hadn't meant to go this far, but he had lost control once Luna was out of the room. With one last glance and a shrug, Harry disappeared, leaving a broken body on the floor.

* * *

Sorry for the long wait. My school jazz band had a competition and I have had writer's block. I was also really sick and my family has had some problems. I will try to update and finish this story soon, but I believe it or not I have a social life.

Now the next chapter some of you most likely will hate me for writing. . . . Oh well it has to happen. If there is someone you want to see die a certain way or anything you really want to see happen, just say so. I read every review even if I don't reply to some.

Thanks for all the support and to those who review, I love reading them (except flames they make me mad and not want to write).

**Please Review**


	38. Chapter 38 It Rained Ash

I don't own anything.

Please answer the poll in my profile.

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Chapter 38

Luna landed with a thud on her rear end. She was in the middle of the Great Hall. All around her, students were huddled together, the older ones stood in front of the doors with the professors, wands drawn.

The children in the hall were silent besides the occasional sob. Loud pounding on the large doors echoed in the Great Hall, as blasting curse after blasting curse was fired at them. The ground shook, and their very bones vibrated with the force of the spells being hurled at the large oak doors.

She, and all the other students, watched in stunned silence at the old doors were blasted into thousands of tiny slivers, which imbedded in the skin of those standing too close. Screams filled the Hall as dark cloaked figures that were splattered with blood barged in. The professors were quick and instantly curses flew both ways. The screams weren't just filled with fear anymore.

The younger students cringed against the far wall, and a few joined the fray, but most were too afraid to move. The Death Eaters were fighting hard, but the professors weren't about to let their students come to harm.

Professor Flitwick was throwing some nasty spell at anyone who dared to come close, making them sprout tentacles and fall to the ground screaming as their skin melted away. McGonagall was morphing people's body parts into weird disfigured limbs which hindered them from attacking.

Snape was nowhere to be found.

Out of nowhere Luna felt a restricting hand grab her from behind, and she cursed herself for letting her guard down. Her feet dangled two feet off the floor, and she looked up into the eyes of the man holding her.

They were red.

* * *

Lord Voldemort was running low on patience. He was dueling Dumbledore, but he wanted to get inside that school right now. Killing the bastard was on his to do list, but at the moment he wanted to make the man watch as his school and students were brought to the ground. Then he would kill the Headmaster.

He batted aside a jet of flame that had been sent his way and extended his magic towards a large chunk of stone behind them.

The Headmaster never saw it coming.

Still battling with his wand, the Dark Lord hurled the large piece of debris at the old wizard's back. With a cry of surprise the Headmaster was clobbered by the large hunk of stone.

With a cackle, the Dark Lord bound his enemy, and disappeared in a wave of black smoke. He reappeared in the Great Hall with screams all around him.

He stood there for several moments, until a powerful wind almost knocked him off his bare feet. With a swirl of dust, a blond first year appeared out of nowhere.

Oh, this would be fun.

* * *

When Harry arrived in the Great Hall it was far from silent. Screams echoed off of the old stone castle walls, and mad laughter from the Death Eaters cut through the screams and shouts of curses. He silently cursed himself for sending Luna into this madness without him. He should have just knocked Draco out, instead of sending Luna away and killing the boy himself.

Cursing fluently in several different languages, Harry sent out a pulse of magic to locate Luna. The wave of magic worked sort of like echo location or sonar. Harry sent out the pulse of magic and it bounced back, letting Harry find the blonde.

She was in the middle of the fight, next to a large source of magic.

The Dark Lord was no longer being held off by the Headmaster, and he was now holding Luna by the collar of her shirt. Luna's eyes were wide with terror, but no noise escaped her.

Harry didn't stay still. He became of blur of movement as he moved towards what was his. His fury fueling his powers, he threw out his magic and knocked Luna away from the pair of restricting hands holding her.

Luna flew through the air like a sack of flower, landing with a dull thud not too far away. If the Hall wasn't silent before it was now.

Red eyes met silver.

A mad cackling filled the Great Hall, making several shudder in fear. The Dark Lord stood there with an insane glint it his ruby eyes and a sardonic smirk on his serpentine face. Opposite him stood a six year old ghost with fury and magic rolling off him in waves.

Luna stood up from the floor and her body shook at the fight that was starting before her. The Dark Lord stood with his black robes billowing out behind him as giant chunks of the Great Hall flew around in the mini tornado Harry had constructed. But Voldemort wasn't about to be bested by a dead six year old. Using the large hunks of stone, he transfigured a large stone snake that slithered as if alive, striking at anyone close enough.

Large chunks of debris flew around the Hall and many had to throw up shields to keep from harm. The Dark Lord threw spell after spell at the ghost child, but nothing seemed to hit him, they all passed through. Voldemort's frustration erupted like a volcano, and with a scream of rage, the Dark Lord blasted the roof off of the Great Hall, making the real night sky visible to all those inside.

Screams filled the Hall once more, as the ceiling rained down on the spectators. Several people, dark and light alike, were crushed. Luna screamed as her legs were crushed by a large bolder. With a scream of rage, trees form the Forbidden Forest came alive, responding to Harry's desperate call.

Large roots from the massive trees forced their way through the stone floor and up over the walls. Dozens of trees circled the armies, and many were brought down. People screamed and ran as roots wrapped around their bodies and choked them. Gurgles escaped men and women's throats as the life was squeezed out of them.

The Dark Lords forces tried to fight back, cutting curses hit the roots and the wide branches that swept people off their feet, but the trees were stronger. They grew back quickly what was lost, and continued on their rampage.

Until some idiot decided to light one on fire.

Flames erupted out of Marcus Flint's 11 inch wand, and quickly ignited all the surrounding branches. Screams rent the air as witches and wizards were set aflame. Their agonized cries cut off as their lives ended. People stampeded out what was left of the Great Hall, and more cries could be heard as a few slow moving people were trampled to death.

Blood and gore littered the once magnificent hall, and with racking sobs Luna tried not to cause more pain to her legs by moving. Behind her a large tree hit the stone floor with a dull thud, its branches red instead of the beautiful green she was used to seeing.

And still the battle between Harry and the Dark Lord raged on.

* * *

Harry frowned in concentration as he transfigured the house tables into four velociraptors. They charged the wizard opposite him with high pitched war cries. The Dark Lord tried to hide his surprise at his opponents' skill, but he didn't quite manage to hide all of it.

The dinosaurs leapt over debris in their way and tried to dodge the curses shot at them from Lord Voldemort, but one was unable to avoid a powerful cutting curse to its neck. The velociraptor's head went flying into one of the many fires in the Hall. Smoke was like a fog as the dinosaurs circled their prey; their cries becoming more and more often as they moved in for the kill.

Finally deciding he had had enough, the Dark Lord cackled before throwing killing curses at the oversized reptiles. Flashes of green light flew faster than a bullet at the animals that used to be tables. The red dinosaur that used to be the Gryffindor table hit the ground as it lunged at the most powerful dark lord to walk the Earth. It was soon joined by its sister from Ravenclaw.

The green velociraptor saw it coming and jumped out of the way just in time. The killing curse flew past the large reptile and into the smoke.

Luna never saw it coming.

Harry froze as her lifeless body slumped to the floor. He did the only thing he could do. He let go.

The Horcrux inside of him was released from the tight hold his soul had on it and he used his magic to direct its attack. Black tendrils of magic poured out of his mouth, eyes, and ears, pooling on the floor and slowly inching its way towards the being that had abandoned it; the thing that had ripped it apart, and left it in a babe, intent on destroying it.

It wrapped around the pale man's legs like a snake would a branch, and the Dark Lord screamed. Nagini wasn't spared either as Harry's magic ripped apart her master's magic, the blackness filled her up and she went limp as the powerful surge of magic ripped the Horcrux from her. The dark magic that was Harry's seemed to grow with the addition of the other Horcrux.

The Dark Lord's very skin seemed to flake and peel off as the dark magic attacked his very being. His magical core was torn violently from his body by the black mist and he fell to his knees as he felt his magic leave him. His wand rolled out of his hand, hitting the ground with a _clank_.

Empty green eyes met red ones.

All three Horcruxes connected, becoming one, and Harry completed his final act, the magic exploded in a mushroom cloud of fire and ash. The Great Hall, and all those left inside were incinerated.

It rained ash on the survivors.

* * *

Please don't kill me! I warned you. Harry was never meant to live. He's a Horcrux and therefore must die for the Dark Lord to die. I know some of you probably hate me for killing off like everyone, but I get tired of happy endings.

This is most likely the end of this story. If requested I will write one more chapter or a oneshot of what happened to Luna and Harry's souls and the other characters.

Please don't flame me because you are not happy with the ending. I mean give a girl a break. I understand that a lot of people will be mean, but it's my story and I should be able to write whatever I dream up.

On the flip side I wish to thank all of you who have helped me with this story. I know it has its problems but I started this when I was fourteen, and had no idea what I was doing when it came to writing. This story has been my life for a while now, and now I'm writing a second that I really just want to focus on for a while.


	39. Chapter 39 An End and a Beginning

Epilogue

Faces and memories swam before his vision like a slide show on fast forward. His brain was thick with confusion and fatigue. He hadn't felt like this since he had died. Maybe he had died again; after all he had released the bit of life still holding him to the land of the living when he had seen Luna die.

Luna.

He should have been there to save her. She was the only thing left that really mattered to him, and he had let her die. She had been unable to save herself and he had been too weak to save her. At least he had killed the bastard.

The Dark Lord was the one responsible for all of Harry's pain. He had ended his childhood with the death of his parents, and killed the center of his world. His Luna.

Anger filled him once more, but it was over powered by his despair. His thoughts centered on Luna, he blacked out.

* * *

Rows of coffins lined the grounds of the old castle. Hundreds were gathered as the victims and warriors of the Battle of Hogwarts were mourned and buried on the school grounds. Among those present two men stood next to a statue in the middle of the new grave yard.

Remus Lupin and Sirius Black had tears staining their cheeks, as they looked at the statue of a young Harry Potter. Looking like he did as a ghost he stood, poised with a determined yet terrifying look on his young face. Luna Lovegood would be buried beside the statue of the young hero.

Many of the dead were Order members or Hogsmead home and business owners who had fought for the children of the Wizarding world. More tears fell, and one by one students and fighters alike were lowered into the ground.

Collin Creevey, Professor Trelawney, Percy Weasley, Luna Lovegood, Cedric Diggory, Hannah Abbot, Katie Bell, Cho Chang, Amelia Bones, Professor Burbage, Argus Filch, Mundungus Fletcher, Draco Malfoy, Alastor Moody, Dedalus Diggle, and Elphias Doge were all lowered into the damp earth. Dozens more followed, as the repaired castle stood silently behind the crowed of mourners.

Albus Dumbledore stood, for once wearing all black, with large tears leaking into his grey beard. It was time to rebuild the Wizarding world.

* * *

Sounds reached his ears as he lay on something hard and cold. Wait why would something be cold if he was dead? His eyes fluttered open only to come face to face with blue ones. A cry of surprise and disbelief was torn from his throat as he gazed upon his dead beloved.

Luna Lovegood sat before him wearing a yellow sun dress, her golden locks cascading beautifully down her back. "Harry, you don't want to miss the train do you?" she asked in a dreamy tone. Looking around Harry saw that he was on Platform 9 and 3/4. Parents crowded near the train as they waved at their children, minutes before the train would depart.

In a daze Harry looked down at himself. He wore simple wizard robes, but that wasn't what caught his attention. No, it was the fact that he had flesh. Small childlike hands, slightly larger than they used to be greeted him. He was alive. Unnaturally pale though he was, he had skin, and looked to be eleven.

Luna led the dazed boy onto the train.

* * *

Harrison Porter and Lona Heartwell sat together at the Ravenclaw table. People around them ignored the strange pair. The two orphan muggleborns had always kept to themselves, much to the female population's frustration. The 16 year olds looked like they just walked out of _Witch Weekly_, and many admired their handsome faces and flattering clothes.

The boy sat next to the girl, her hand in his, with an intense of look on his face as he gazed at the girl as she spoke about creatures that didn't exist. Many thought them crazy, or touched in the head, but no one tried to argue with them about the made up creatures. Harrison "Harry" Porter was highly scary when angry, and none were stupid enough to cross him.

Not many could see the ghost of a smile on the boy's lips as he gazed at his reason for existence. Here they did not have to worry about war, there was no Dark Lord; here they did not have to worry about child abuse, they lived alone; here they did not have to worry about one of them growing old, they would do it together.

* * *

The End! Sorry for the wait, I have been so busy. I've written this like five times, it just didn't want to be written. Here it is a somewhat happy ending that won't get me yelled at. Please read my other story if you have not already done that.


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